RACING: Controversial plans to cut the distance of the French Derby to 10-and-a-half furlongs received an initial thumbs-up at a meeting of the European Pattern Race Committee (EPC) yesterday.

France Galop wants to change the distance of the race - the Prix du Jockey-Club - from the traditional mile-and-a-half to the shorter trip among a number of changes to key races.

The proposed reform would also include the Grand Prix de Paris, currently run over 10 furlongs at Longchamp in June, and the 12-furlong Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, run at Saint-Cloud in early July, losing their current identities.

The former would be revamped as a new Group One race to be run over a mile-and-a- half at Saint-Cloud on July 14th, while the latter would be run at Longchamp on July 26th and be closed to three-year-olds.

There is also a proposal to scrap the Group One Prix Lupin, a race for three-year-olds only over an extended 10 furlongs in May.

The suggested changes have split the French racing community, with some in favour of the plan and others against disturbing the current order.

However, at a meeting in London yesterday, the EPC gave the plan its backing, subject to ironing out a few prize-money issues.

"The European Pattern Committee approved the French proposals in principle, subject to further discussion about prize money levels for the proposed new Group One races," said an EPC statement.

Meanwhile, Makybe Diva is as low as 3 to 1 favourite to repeat her success of last year in the Emirates Melbourne Cup two weeks from today following reports of a setback for key rival She's Archie.

The seven-year-old beat She's Archie by a length and a quarter in the 2003 renewal of the Flemington race, but the Darren Weir-trained mare had been fancied to reverse the form.

However, Weir has revealed that She's Archie missed a piece of fast work yesterday as she is suffering from general soreness, and she will not be running in Saturday's Cathay Pacific Airways Cup at Moonee Valley.

Weir intends to assess the mare's chances of making the Melbourne Cup next week, prompting William Hill to cut Makybe Diva to 3 to 1 from 10 to 1 for the big race, while Coral go 7 to 2.

Dermot Weld's 2002 winner Media Puzzle has been attracting some support and is 8 to 1 from 25s, while stablemate Vinnie Roe is 7 to 1 from 14 to 1 with the same firm.

MELBOURNE CUP - William Hill: 3-1 Makybe Diva, 7-1 Vinnie Roe, 8-1 Hugs Dancer, Media Puzzle, 10-1 Distinction, 14-1 Rizon, Strasbourg, 16-1 Confectioner, 20-1 Razkalla, 25-1 bar.

Coral: 7-2 Makybe Diva, 13-2 Vinnie Roe, 9-1 Media Puzzle, 10-1 Hugs Dancer, Distinction, 14-1 Grey Song, Strasbourg, 16-1 Razkalla, Rizon, 20-1 Fantastic Love, Mamool, Mummify, 25-1 bar.