Take New Approach for Champion

With five Group One wins from five starts, Duke Of Marmalade has been the standout talent this Flat season and, though his latest two wins have both been by less than a length, his margin of superiority appeared greater. He has no obvious weaknesses for today's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and has twice run to form on soft ground.

But Aidan O'Brien's words of caution this week, to the effect that the colt may not have recovered from his Newmarket exertions, are off-putting and it could well be that he needs a break.

New Approach (3.50), by contrast, was coming back from an injury enforced break when beaten by Duke Of Marmalade last time. He looked outpaced on decent going that day and should do much better here, now that persistent rain has turned Leopardstown into a quagmire.

Haydock 2.05Lady Deauville is the ideal candidate, having already won four times at this level, each time on ground with some cut. She gives the impression that it can never be too soft for her.

Leopardstown 2.10Famous Name makes his eagerly awaited reappearance after looking a most unlucky runner-up in the French Derby. It is hard to see past him.

Kempton 2.20Elnawin apparently caught connections by surprise when landing a valuable sales race at Newmarket and that's easily the best form on offer here.

Haydock 2.35Strike Up The Band had been knocking on the door before his Shergar Cup triumph and should take all the beating again. He is still 9lb lower than his career high rating.

Leopardstown 2.40Carribean Sunset beat Halfway To Heaven in a Guineas trial round here and looked unlucky not to confirm the form in the Irish 1,000 the following month. Dermot Weld's filly showed her liking for some give when hammering Blythe Knight in a Group Three here last time and is preferred to her two more fancied rivals. Lush Lashes must prove her ability to cope with the surface, having been well beaten on the only occasion she encountered anything like it.

Kempton 2.50Blue Monday is the proven performer at Group Three level and he almost certainly needed his first outing for nine months when last seen. The only concern is his lack of racing experience on a synthetic surface.

Haydock 3.10 US Ranger has disappointed on this sort of surface in the past, while Equiano will probably struggle to sustain his effort over six furlongs on heavy. Utmost Respect is the one for whom everything has fallen right and he looked worth his place at this level when an unlucky fourth behind Marchand D'Or at Deauville last month.

Kempton 3.25 The form of Premio Loco's victory here over Rose Street was boosted when that one followed up and he has more scope to be ahead of the handicapper than most of these.

Haydock 3.40 Successful over this course and distance in July, when the going was similarly desperate, Bollin Felix can prove best in what will be a war of attrition

Ron Cox's tip of the day

Green Park 2.35 Haydock

Richard Fahey's runner bounced back to form last time when a length second to Divine Spirit at Beverley, making up late ground to be nearest at the finish. Now the ground has come in his favour he should be followed as he is on a very favourable handicap mark still 3lb below the one off which he won the ultra-competitive Gosforth Park Cup last term on similarly heavy ground.

Horse sense

Marmalade supporters may come to a sticky end

The consensus about Duke Of Marmalade's midweek drift in the market for today's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown is that punters were worried about the rain. However, word reaches us that the colt disappointed in his work and may not have recovered from his recent Newmarket outing. Meanwhile, Multidimensional (3.50) worked extremely well before traveling over and is no forlorn hope.

Today's major talking horse is Ethaara (4.30) at Kempton. William Haggas's filly beat a fancied runner from the John Gosden yard at Great Leighs last time and the pair were well clear. The race was no doubt hard for the handicapper to assess but there is a strong feeling that he has erred on the side of leniency and she will be well supported.

On the same card, Cape Hawk (3.25) and Elnawin (2.20) are expected to carry on Richard Hannon's excellent recent run, while Blue Monday (2.50) will be better for his reappearance. Captain Ramius (4.00) is the pick of an intriguing bunch for the conditions race. Sir Michael Stoute's debutant, Standpoint, is ordinary, while Ashram's willingness is not to be taken on trust.

Connections of Corrybrough (3.10) are hoping that Haydock's card goes ahead, so that their zippy three-year-old can prove his Deauville defeat, when he got a poor ride, was not his true form. We also have a good word for La Brigitte (4.15), who will love the going.

Cruikadyke (4.45) is not so certain to enjoy conditions but is also in very good heart. Paul Cole's yard are also expecting a big run from Via Mia (2.10) at Bath's meeting on Monday.

Looking ahead to next weekend's St Leger, we are advised that Centennial has been working the house down after his surprise victory in the restaged Great Voltigeur. The rain has come for him and connections will presumably supplement the grey.

William Jarvis's Gravitation (2.00) is in good shape ahead of Thursday's Park Hill Stakes, while Absent Pleasure (1.30) is one to look out for in Wednesday's nursery event.

Ignotus, a successful hurdler for Alan Swinbank last season, has finally passed a stalls test and is being lined up for a run on the Flat. The gelding is reckoned a sure-fire winner of a 1m4f maiden.

Seen and heard

Gary Moore will probably be glad to see the back of Mourilyan, who has his first run for him in a Group Three at Kempton today. The horse is owned by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, whose private army have faced repeated accusations of murder, kidnapping and torture - as Moore has now discovered, having googled his owner's name. "Scary - I hope he runs well," says the trainer. The British Horseracing Authority confirm that Kadyrov passed their tests to be an owner. Mourilyan will leave Moore for good when he flies to Australia for the Melbourne Cup.

Credit crunch or no, it seems Yorkshire racegoers aren't short of a bob or two. Eyebrows were raised at the entry prices for next week's St Leger meeting at Doncaster, but the Premier Suite (capacity 350) has already sold out for the last three days, despite charging ?60 per head and ?75 on Saturday. The County Enclosure (?50) has also sold out for St Leger day.

Last week, we passed on a rumor that the jockey Neil Callan was considering an end to his partnership with the trainer Kevin Ryan, who has provided 29 of his 108 winners this year. Callan has since contacted us to categorically deny that he has any such thoughts.

Committed Arsenal fan Frankie Dettori's allegiance may be wobbling. He wore a blue suit this week to the opening of Frankie's Sports Bar . . . at Stamford Bridge stadium, home of Chelsea.