Brown Odds-on to Complete the Triple Crown

Easy Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown is long odds-on with British bookmakers to complete the elusive American Triple Crown on June 7 after another awesome display in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.

William Hill only go 2-7 for the Rick Dutrow-trained runner to win the Belmont Stakes in New York following another imperious success for the unbeaten colt. If Big Brown is victorious and completes the Triple Crown he would become the first since Affirmed did so in 1978.

Dutrow said: "I'm going to be under the impression that he's going to be tough to beat in the Belmont. I don't think I'm afraid of anything. I don't think that anything worries me as long as this horse comes out of this race good."

Coastal Path emerged as a real threat to Yeats' bid to win three successive Ascot Gold Cups yesterday when taking his 100% record to six in a Group Two race at Longchamp. The Khalid Abdullah-owned four-year-old had far too much class for runner-up Orion Star and was cut from 8-1 to 9-2 second-favorite for Royal Ascot's 2½-mile showpiece on June 19.

Gold Cup-winning rider Sam Thomas was hit with a 17-day ban after taking the wrong course and being forced to pull-up red-hot favorite Oumeyade as he started the final circuit in a race at Fakenham.

Five meetings make for numerous betting opportunities today but there is a standout wager in the shape of Regal Step (8.40) at Windsor. She won on her debut last season at Nottingham and the form of that race has worked out so well she is thrown in here at the weights. She has excuses for her two subsequent runs and is reported to be in good form ahead of her seasonal comeback run tonight.

Ron Cox's tip of the day

Spring Dream 3.00 Bath

The five-year-old mare's owners have a reputation for the shrewd placing of their horses and everything looks in place for a big run here from Spring Dream. She won this particular event last year and appears to have been readied for a follow-up. The selection was beaten by today's opponent Rose Row last time but is weighted to get her revenge and will be ideally suited by the step up in distance this time.