Richard Quinn today pinned his Dubai Champion Stakes hopes on Love Divine as he and his boss Henry Cecil attempt to end a disappointing season on a high note.
Quinn has opted to partner the Oaks winner in Saturday`s Group One contest rather than Shiva after the pair worked on the Newmarket training grounds this morning.
'I rode Love Divine this morning with Willie Ryan on Shiva. We both cantered and then quickened off it,' he said.
'I was most pleased with Love Divine and that`s why I am riding her, but I expect both of them to go really well.'
Shiva will be ridden in the #400,000 contest by Pat Eddery.
The Cecil duo have been on the sidelines waiting for underfoot conditions to become suitable.
Love Divine was a late absentee from the Prix de l`Opera at the beginning of the month when the ground became too lively at Longchamp.
With Newmarket, like most of the country, experiencing monsoon-like weather, the terrain should be ideal for the Cecil duo.
This has clearly been noted by punters with Love Divine being cut today to 5-1 from 9-1 by Coral and Shiva also shortening in Tuesday`s betting exchanges.
Ladbrokes were obviously also impressed by the work, making Love Divine 5-1 from 12-1.
Montjeu, confirmed as a definite runner by his trainer John Hammond is Coral`s 11-10 favourite (from 11-8) to return to winning ways and put behind him his shock defeat in the Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe.
But the wet weather is not such good news for Distant Music who could be pulled out if conditions worsen.
On his first outing since disappointing when second-favourite for the Sagitta 2000 Guineas, Distant Music defeated Valentino in a Group Three event at Doncaster.
But the colt, owned by Khaled Abdullah and trained by Barry Hills, faces a far sterner task when stepping back into Group One company on Saturday.
In addition Distant Music will be running over further than one mile for the first time.
'We wouldn`t just run him for fun,' said the owner`s racing manager Teddy Beckett. 'He has Nijinsky on his dam`s side and there must be every chance of him staying one and a quarter miles.
'We`re not worried about the presence of Montjeu in the race. There`s plenty of others prepared to take him on and anyway you shouldn`t only worry about your own horse.'
Whether Holding Court will also be in the line-up is still open to doubt.
The winner of the Prix du Jockey-Club has an alternative in the Prix du Conseil de Longchamp (Group Two) over one and a half miles the following day.
A decision on which race he will go for will be made shortly before tomorrow`s 48-hour declaration deadline for the Champion Stakes.
'I`ll be talking to the owner in the morning but at this stage I would have say the race in France is favourite,' said trainer Michael Jarvis.
'The Champion is a very tough race, so if the owners want to go to Longchamp I`d be happy to go along with that.'
Holding Court blotted hiscopybook when appearing to try to dive out in a Group One contest at Baden-Baden last time.
'It wasn`t that bad a run in Germany. He just went a bit right at the stable turn. It might be that he is better going right-handed,' said Jarvis.
'Holding Court has enough speed for one and a quarter miles but he acts round Longchamp and that wouldn`t be such a difficult race.'
Sakhee, not seen since finishing fourth in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes in July, is set to miss the race.
Hamdan Al-Maktoum`s colt has had several niggling problems, including a foot abscess.
'I haven`t had a chance to speak to the owner yet but I would think he is very unlikely to run. The race is going to come too soon,' said Sheikh Hamdan`s racing manager Angus Gold.
Sakhee is unlikely to race again this season but will stay in training for a four-year-old campaign, according to Gold.
Coral bet: 11-10 Montjeu (from 11-8), 7-2 Kalanisi, 9-2 Greek Dance, 5-1 Love Divine (from 9-1), 6-1 Shiva, 10-1 Indian Danehill, 11-1 Indian Lodge, 12-1 Sakhee, 14-1 Distant Music, 16-1 Holding Court, Slickly, 40-1 bar.
Ladbrokes bet: 5-4 Montjeu (from 6-4), 9-2 Kalanisi, 5-1 Love Divine (from 12-1), 11-2 Greek Dance, 7-1 Shiva, 12-1 Indian Danehill, 16-1 Indian Lodge, Distant Music, Holding Court, Slickly, 50-1 bar.
