No decision has yet been made as to who will replace the injured Pat Eddery on Henry Cecil's star filly Bosra Sham in the Dubai Champion Stakes at Newmarket on October 18th.

Eddery, who announced yesterday that a back problem will put him out of action for the remainder of the season, had been handed the ride back in July after Cecil's stable jockey Kieren Fallon had received widespread criticism for his tactics on the filly in Sandown's Coral-Eclipse Stakes at the start of that month.

Eddery, who will have an operation on his back in four weeks' time, had ridden the chestnut during her three-year-old campaign - landing Newmarket's 1,000 Guineas and the Champion Stakes.

But who will replace the outgoing champion on her next month is still a matter for debate.

Speaking at Newbury yesterday afternoon Captain Tim BulwerLong, racing manager to Bosra Sham's owner Wafic Said, said: "I have only just heard and I am devastated about Pat's injury."

Commenting on speculation that Fallon would renew his association with Bosra Sham, Captain Bulwer-Long added: "At this stage it is much too early to talk about the Wafic Said horses.

"Mr Said is abroad at the moment and I will have more to say on Saturday when I have spoken to him."

Eddery stressed that he will be back in action next year. The 45year-old, who rode the 4,000th the winner of his career on Silver Patriarch in the Pertemps St Leger last Saturday, intends to be fighting fit for the opening turf meeting of 1998 back at Doncaster.

"I won't be riding in the winter but I will back for next season," he said. "It's a blow to miss the rest of the season but it's happened and there you go."

There will be a total of runners in the Group One Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp tomorrow, including Harbour Master (Cash Asmussen) and Marigot Bay (Seamus Heffernan).