fast ground may force 
out mayson

A surprise winner of last month’s Darley July Cup that was run on bottomless ground at a rain-hit Newmarket, Mayson holds an intriguing entry in Friday’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes – one of the centrepieces of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

However, Malton-based Fahey is fearful about the likely fast ground after York missed the heaviest of this week’s showers.

“A decision has yet to be taken on whether Mayson runs in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes,” said the trainer. “I’m not scared to drop him back to five furlongs but if it’s quick ground it could just be on the sharp side for him.

“We’ll monitor the weather but at the moment it looks like it’s going to be a dry week.”

The ground at York was described yesterday as good to firm, good in places.

Tom Scudamore is looking forward to a successful campaign with Grands Crus, with the jockey expecting the David Pipe-trained grey to put a poor final run of last season in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham behind him.

The seven-year-old was a well-beaten fourth after being sent off a hot favourite after winning his first three races over fences, culminating in the Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

“He seems in really good form and looks fantastic. He’s back cantering and had his first one at the beginning of the week,” said Scudamore.

“The run round Kempton in the Feltham was probably my biggest thrill of the whole season. He wasn’t the same horse at Cheltenham. He didn’t pick up when I thought he came there to win the race.

“That’s racehorses, but he looks fantastic and David will get him back – no doubt about that.”

Frankie Dettori will be the headline act at Pontefract tomorrow where his rides are headed by Mince who is tipped to land the ultra-competitive British Stallion Studs EBF Flying Fillies’ Stakes.

A course and distance winner, Roger Charlton’s filly scampered half-a-length clear of Galician on Shergar Cup day at Ascot last weekend and has a really encouraging win-to-run ratio.