IN GIVING more than two stone and a neck beating to the exposed and fully fit Sharazan in a driving finish to last evening's listed Saval Beg Stakes, Humbel gained a significant first step of the season to his ultimate objective the Irish St Leger. Indeed, Michael Smurfit's big, powerful and much travelled four year old could prove a worthy replacement for his dual Irish St Leger and Melbourne Cup winning stable companion, the nine year old Vintage Crop, who remains in training.

Powerfully ridden by Michael Kinane who had just returned from riding at Goodwood yesterday in Humbel produced his best front running Sharazan with I'm Supposing only a neck off. Dance Beat also ran a big race to finish fourth.

Michael and Humbel match each other, said Dermot Weld, who plans to race the winner in some Group One races in Italy this season in the lead up to the Irish St Leger and the Melbourne Cup. Humbel did well last campaign, winning his first two races over this course, including a listed event and the Group Three Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and later when capturing the Group Two Blandford Stakes at the Curragh. He also ran well in the Epsom Derby. Finally sent to America, he disappointed in his four races there. He was then returned to Ireland.

"He is stronger and better than ever and goes on any ground," said Weld, who runs Touch Judge (Pat Shanahan) in Sunday's Italian Derby. Stable companion Zagreb has just recovered from a head cold, but this promising Irish Derby hopeful is on course for the Gallinule Stakes.

Weld and Kinane also combined to land the Regine Maiden with the lightly raced Gordi like Humbel a son of Theatrical and this Allen Paulson colt won as he liked. He was sick and is only coming right. The best has yet to come but he needs further, said the Jim Bolger introduced a promising two year old in Via Verhano to win the Roundwood Fillies Maiden. Always prominent on the far side, the Harry Dobson owned and bred youngster headed Keeping The Faith a furlong down and was pushed out by Kevin Manning to hold off the challenging favourite Fairy Song by half a length, with the consistent Keeping The Faith the same distance away third. The winner will return here to contest the listed Silver Flash Stakes.

Via Verbano is a half sister by Caerleon to Via Condotti who won a listed race over this course and to Via Lombardi, also successful in a listed race at two years and three graded races in America last year. The exported Via Pariji is another half sister and all hail from the Musidora family. Interestingly, Harry Dobson bought the dam Closette out of training in France for the equivalent of 5,000 guineas.

Strong support is reported for Spinning World and Beauchamp, Kin for Sunday's 2,900 Guineas. With a lot of rain forecast the betting has cent red on those horses thought likely to be suited by soft round." said Ian Wassell. "Spinning World is 9 to 4 from 3 to 1 with Beauchamp King 3 to 1 from 4 to 1. Original favourite Bijoud d'Inde is out to 3 to 1 from 9 to 4.