Saffron Walden will miss Sunday week's Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh. Aidan O'Brien reported yesterday that the colt will be given a rest following his seventh to Oath in the Epsom Derby.
"We will leave him off as he has had four quick runs already this year. He is very fast and we know he is good enough for mile and mile and a quarter races," O'Brien said.
The Ballydoyle trainer added that he will choose his Derby runners from Tchaikovsky, Genghis Khan and Urban Ocean.
Ascot watered the course yesterday in preparation for the Royal meeting which gets under way tomorrow. Clerk of the course Nick Cheyne said: "The course is drying out a bit and I have given the going as good to firm. We gave the track a light watering on Sunday afternoon and that should be it. Although we might water during the meeting depending on the forecast.
"The course looks very good. We gave it its last cut today and basically the moisture lost when we cut the grass will be replaced by the light watering.
"The forecast is for dry weather up to Wednesday with temperatures increasing. There is a possibility of showers late Wednesday to Thursday."
Fatehalkhair, who is in great form having won two of his four starts this season, can keep up the good work in the Wimpey Homes Edinburgh Gold Cup at Musselburgh today.
Successful at Redcar in April, Brian Ellison's charge put up a personal best when scoring at Catterick earlier this month.
On that occasion he travelled strongly just behind the leaders before being given his head to take over approaching the final furlong.
Once in front he began to idle and had to be ridden out to beat Caerosa by a length and a quarter.
The runner-up reopposes on 3lb better terms today but Fatehalkhair has very capable 3lb claimer Robert Winston in the saddle which just gives Ellison's charge the edge once more.
Despite being a seven-year-old Fatehalkhair appears to be on the upgrade and is napped to land the afternoon's "Showcase" handicap.
I Cried For You provided trainer James Given with his first winner when scoring at Nottingham last month and looks worth an interest to follow up in the Tote Sprint Handicap at Windsor.
At Nottingham, I Cried For You was held up before being produced on the outside by Richard Hughes to lead well inside the final furlong and win a shade comfortably by one and a half lengths from Surprised.
This improving four-year-old missed a suitable opportunity at Redcar last Tuesday when the meeting was abandoned due to waterlogging but he gets another chance to continue his progress at the Thameside track.
David Nicholls, who enjoyed big race successes at the Curragh with Proud Native and at York with Pepperdine in the past week, is hoping to keep up the good work at Royal Ascot.
The Thirsk trainer plans to have four runners.
