Racing News and preview The bookmakers don't think he will run but Dermot Weld insisted yesterday that Refuse To Bend could yet be the surprise package for Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes.

The 2,000 Guineas winner was one of nine horses left in at yesterday's forfeit stage, a surprise move considering Sunday's Prix du Moulin at Longchamp was considered Refuse To Bend's more likely option.

"We won't decide until later in the week but he is likely to go for one or the other. It's a distinct possibility he could go to Leopardstown. I would say it is 50-50 either way.

"The horse is in great form, very well, but we will have to look at a range of things like the ground, the opposition and the trip," Weld said.

However, Paddy Power, who installed the Irish Derby and King George winner Alamshar as their 5 to 4 favourite for the €1 million spectacular, didn't price up Refuse To Bend with a spokesman explaining: "We have heard he is a doubtful runner."

Cashmans agreed with Alamshar's 5 to 4 rating but did install Refuse To Bend at 6 to 1 (with a run.) One man who no doubt will be hoping Weld does take the French option is Paddy Mullins who had been hoping to book Pat Smullen for the ride on the Irish Oaks winner Vintage Tipple.

No such doubts surround either Alamshar or Falbrav who remain on target for another clash on Saturday. The pair met last in the King George at Ascot but this time the English challenger will be running over the mile and a quarter trip at which he has won the Eclipse and the Juddmonte this season.

Trainer Luca Cumani said yesterday: "It is a very good race with Alamshar as a rightful favourite and the one we all have to beat. He is the best three-year-old in Europe at the moment. Let's not forget High Chaparral but I think Alamshar is the one to beat."

Cumani added: "Falbrav has one piece of work to do before the weekend and the forecast seems encouraging. There shouldn't be any rain before Saturday."

Leopardstown's racing manager Tom Burke concurred with the view and watering is likely to start at the Dublin track today. Burke said: "The forecast is for rain to hit the west on Friday but now the Met' people are saying it may not get across to the East coast at all, and even if it does, there will be very little in it.

"The going is good to firm at the moment and I imagine it will be firm by tomorrow. We will check the track them and decide on the basis of what we see about watering. We are aiming for good to firm, but safe ground, for Saturday."

Safe is the byword for Aidan O'Brien regarding High Chaparral's possible challenge on the race. Last year's dual-Derby and Breeders' Cup winner has the option of Longchamp's Prix Foy eight days later.

O'Brien has also left in Statue Of Liberty and France in the Champion Stakes while the cross-channel challenge has also been boosted by the inclusion of the Yorkshire Oaks winner Islington and Godolphin's World Cup winner Moon Ballad. Godolphin have won four of the last five runnings of the Champion Stakes and were also successful with Cezanne in 1994.

There would not normally be much of a link between a midweek Limerick fixture and a Group One pot but Johnny Murtagh faces a critical date with the scales on his comeback today. If he is to make the weight for Alamshar on Saturday, then the 9-7 he has on Hanabad in the mile race this evening and the 9-4 on Baikal in the mile and a half handicap should be well within his compass. Hanabad should at least get the comeback off to a winning start but Baikal may have to give best to the topweight Le Leopard.

House Around caught a good one on her Tralee debut when beaten four lengths by Noah's Ark who Dermot Weld rates up to Stakes class. There shouldn't be anything of that standard in the fillies maiden.

BETTING: (Paddy Power) 5/4 Alamshar, 5/2 Falbrav, 4 High Chaparral, 7 Islington, 10 Statue Of Liberty, 14 Moon Ballad, Vintage Tipple, 25 France. (Cashmans): 5/4 Alamshar, 3 Falbrav and High Chaparral, 10 Vintage Tipple, 12 Islington, 14 Moon Balld, 6 (with a run) Refuse To Bend.

Media Puzzle is the 12 to 1 favourite to repeat his success of last year in the Tooheys New Melbourne Cup at Flemington in Australia having been given 8st 13lb for the race on November 4th.

Trainer Dermot Weld said last night: "It's 50-50 whether I'll have a runner or not. The Irish St Leger next week could be one of the keys to the likely outcome as I'd be hoping to run both Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle. Maharib will run in the English St Leger and Lowlander, who is unlikely to get into the Melbourne Cup, will run in the Irish Cesarewitch.

"Regarding In Time's Eye, it remains to be seen whether he would stay two miles and there are plenty of races for him here if he didn't go."