/ Graham Cunningham / 27 September 2007 /

Graham Cunningham previews all the action from Ascot this weekend

YOU have to feel for the merry band who run the show at Ascot.

Granted, they had only themselves to blame for building a £230m stand where you could do anything bar see the horses. And granted, they earned further flak for some cringeworthy spin when crowds for this year's Royal Meeting dipped lower than shares in Northern Rock.

But the hits just keep on coming for the Berkshire outfit. First it was the worry of foot and mouth nearby. Then came news that George Washington is out of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but Frankie Dettori can ride to Ascot's rescue yet again if he gets the fractions right on Ramonti in Saturday's main event.

This admirable front runner edged out George Washington's stablemate Excellent Art in a humdinger of a battle for the Sussex Stakes and also holds verdicts over most of the best milers in Europe this year.

The question is, can Ramonti beat the French raider Darjina? He had to play second fiddle in Longchamp's Prix du Moulin three weeks ago. but Dettori seemed too anxious to avoid getting embroiled in a battle for the lead with Coolmore pacemaker Archipenko there.

Clearly, tactics are bound to play a major role again. Godolphin have a pacemaker of their own in Blue Ksar this time, which will also suit Excellent Art, while Darjina's improved effort at Longchamp serves as a warning to those who argue that no filly has won the QEII since Milligram twenty years ago.

However, Ramonti never shirks when things get tough. He looks solid win and place value, though the underrated Cesare is also worth a nibble given that a fierce pace will also play very much to his late running style.

Jose Mourinho would probably testify that Utmost Respect and Shevchenko have seldom gone together in the same sentence of late, but this fast improving pair look the key horses in Saturday's Totesport.com Challenge Cup.

Shevchenko, just like his footballing namesake, looked a very costly purchase when failing to justify favouritism four times early in his career. A summer hat-trick levelled the balance sheet, though, while Utmost Respect will be afforded exactly that by layers everywhere after landing one of the gambles of the year in commanding style in Ayr's Silver Cup.

Splitting the pair isn't easy, so the best ploy is to dutch them in the belief that they are both still at least one step ahead of the handicapper.

Football's all embracing influence also carries over to Sunday's Ascot card when the Stewards' Cup hero Zidane bids to follow up in the Diadem Stakes. James Fanshawe's gelding is on a roll after "nutting" the gallant Borderlescott on the post at Goodwood, but whether he can confirm placings with Balthazaar's Gift is another matter. Luca Cumani's four-year-old was conceding 12lb to Zidane there and ran a heroic race for sixth considering he forfeited a deal of ground by being forced to cross to the centre from stall 26.

His Ascot record makes for seductive reading and, having proved himself better than ever with a fine third behind Red Clubs in the Haydock Sprint Cup, Balthazaar's Gift looks to have a great deal in his favour.

Some people love valuable Sales races, while others look on them as an absurd distortion of what a racing meritocracy ought to stand for. Whatever your view, Friday's Watership Down Stakes is a strong contender for the worst £250,000 race ever run.

Doubtless the whole occasion will take on a magical hue for those who back the winner, and Ralph Beckett's Spell Caster looks a likely lass based on the way she quickened to settle matters in a Chepstow maiden on her debut.

Finally this week, what was your view on the way George Washington's departure from the QEII field was handled?
Betfair Forum readers were well aware that something was afoot from early on Thursday morning yet it took until early evening for a statement confirming the rumours to emerge from Ballydoyle.
It's plain that betting considerations aren't top of Coolmore's agenda - and nor should they be - but nor is it Betfair's job to play detective in markets they feel could be open to abuse.

What's the answer? In short, there isn't a perfect one, but an agreement from trainers to call the Press Association to place doubtful runners in a "Hold Your Bets" file would certainly be a step in the right direction.

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