Low draw woe for Stewards’ Cup fancy Zidane after ‘cock-up’
James Fanshawe’s lightly-raced five-year-old was the 7-1 market leader with the sponsors, and his name was pulled out with plenty of choice stalls left unfilled in the valuable six-furlong handicap.
However, Fanshawe’s yard believed the draw was to take place on Friday rather than yesterday and he had to wait until every other runner had been picked before being allotted the lowest number left.
High draws were most popular and stall 11 was eventually handed to Fanshawe’s representative. The sponsors eased him to 9-1.
Fanshawe said: “It was a bit of a cock-up. We thought the draw was tomorrow; the owners are coming down tomorrow and the buck stops with me.”
In light of the Fanshawe error, Blue Square have trimmed the Richard Fahey-trained Knot In Wood in to 7-1 favouritism, and the northern raider will break from stall 25.
Fahey was represented by Mark Leatham, who said: “Richard is in Galway all week, but I was on the phone to him and he was delighted with the draw as he wanted to be as high as possible.
“It will do him no harm that the ante-post favourite Zidane got a poor draw.”
Also towards the head of the market is Luca Cumani’s Balthazaar’s Gift, with last week’s Hackwood Stakes winner cut into 9-1 from 10s after being handed stall 26.
Viking Spirit (stall 22) is the same price but Terry Mills’ Something was eased out to 12-1 from 10s after the Epsom handler had to wait until late in proceedings before getting stall three. A disappointed Mills reflected: “It was a waste of time, but the horse is in good form.”
Fantasy Believer will make a quick reappearance after running at Ascot last weekend, and he will break from box 14 after connections were denied a higher draw.
