Dancer can call the tune for Irish

CONTACT DANCER has been the subject of an ante-post gamble to give the Irish a rare victory in the totesport Chester Cup today.

The seven-year-old, trained in Tipperary by Charlie Swan and the mount of Kieren Fallon, has been cut to 8-1 with the sponsors, having been backed from 14-1 to 12-1 on Monday and down to 9s earlier yesterday.

Formerly trained at Middleham by Mark Johnston, he won the 2004 Cesarewitch and was third behind Anak Pekan in this race 12 months ago. He has since joined Swan and is fit from a spell over timber.