Stand And Deliver!

Richard Hannon's Dick Turpin finally gained the first Group One success of his career with a stunning display in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly.

French Guineas and Derby winner Lope De Vega was sent off a short price, but he struggled to get past his pacemaker three furlongs out and when Richard Hughes sent Dick Turpin after him the result was never in doubt.

He showed an electric turn of foot to streak five lengths clear of the chasing pack and it was left to Siyouni to run on into second, with Clive Cox's Xtension just behind in third.

Godolphin's Frozen Power was never involved, while Lope De Vega was eased right down inside the final furlong.

Second in the English and French 2000 Guineas as well as the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Dick Turpin was certainly not winning out of turn and Hughes was ecstatic with the result.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted for the horse. He deserved to win a Group One - he's run some brilliant races. You get horses like that which never get to win one and finish second all the time, but it's great now he's broken his duck. The pressure is off.

"We went a very fast gallop and I kicked him on at least two furlongs out because I knew I'd stay well. I said after the race he'll probably get 10 furlongs because they weren't catching me. He killed them off very quickly.

"It was fast ground today and he's better with more of a cut. I was probably four or five lengths further in front of Xtension than I was in the Newmarket Guineas, so the form is rock-solid.

"We said to the owners we'll take it race by race and he'll tell us when he's ready to run again. He's been on the go a while, but he looked so well, so we said 'why not go'.

"The only thing we wouldn't do was run him on firm ground, but the French water well and do a very good job."

News From Cumanis Yard

Recent Redcar winner Forte Dei Marmi is likely to be Luca Cumani's only runner in the John Smith's Cup at York next Saturday.

The four-year-old has won two of his three starts this season and his latest triumph in the Zetland Gold Cup earned him a 6lb rise in the weights.

Trainer Luca Cumani said: "We only have Forte Dei Marmi for the John Smith's Cup as our other entry, Fiery Lad, runs in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock. He just missed the cut for the Wolferton at Royal Ascot so he goes to York a fresh horse."

He added: "His two most recent wins have come on good to firm ground but we would prefer a safe surface with a little bit of cut.

"Being a homebred, Forte Dei Marmi is one of our yard favourites. He has been training well and we have high aspirations for him."

Lancashire Oaks Preview

Barshiba will face 11 rivals as she bids for back-to-back victories in Saturday's bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock.

David Elsworth's runner was a near four-length winner of the Group Two heat under Paul Hanagan, but the six-year-old is set to be partnered by Hayley Turner this time after the duo struck gold at Ascot earlier in the season.

Les Fazzani, Polly's Mark and Rosika filled the first three places in the Pinnacle Stakes at this track last month, with Barshiba in fourth. They all line up again along with Henry Cecil's Flame Of Gibraltar (fifth) and Cassique Lady (seventh).

The latter, who is trained by Lucy Wadham, subsequently finished second behind Lady Jane Digby in the Warwickshire Oaks and she will clash with that rival again.

Lady Jane Digby was compensated for a luckless run in the 2009 renewal of the Warwick Listed heat when claiming that prize, but she was then edged into second at Newcastle.

Trainer Mark Johnston said: "We were pleased to win at Warwick but obviously she was beaten into second at Newcastle last week. She's a tough cookie, though, and this looks a good opportunity for her."

Barry Hills' Oaks 10th Champagnelifestyle drops back in company and she is one of two three-year-old runners, along with Clive Brittain's Najam. Dermot Weld's Noblesse Stakes winner Grace O'Malley, Gerard Butler's Tinaar and the Roger Charlton-trained Clowance complete the field.

Angus Gold Gives Us An Update

Arcano has been ruled out of next week's Darley July Cup after connections admitted defeat in getting him fit for the race.

One of last season's leading juveniles, Brian Meehan's colt has only been seen once this season when well beaten by the Richard Hannon pair of Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Angus Gold, owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager, said: "Arcano is on his way back. His blood took a long time to get back right after Newbury, it was just a few silly little things that have taken him a bit longer than we hoped."

He added: "We were hoping to get him ready for the July Cup next week but he's not quite going to make it. I hope he will be back on the track in the next two to three weeks."

Another smart juvenile last season in the same ownership was Mark Johnston's Awzaan, winner of the Middle Park Stakes.

He has also only been seen once when he finished 15th in the 2000 Guineas, in which he sustained an injury.

"He just tweaked a suspensory and it is taking a long time to settle down but there is nothing anyone can do about that," added Gold.

"We won't be seeing him any time quickly, sadly. Awzaan is not a big horse and he was probably mature last season and the plan was to get on with him this year, but there we go. With a suspensory you can't rush it."

Breaking News From "Our Man Ken" At Johnstons Yard

Jukebox Jury won't be taking his chance in the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday.

Trainer Mark Johnston decided to swerve a trip to Sandown with his Group One-winning grey after assessing his possible rivals.

"Everything is fine with him, we just decided against running at Sandown," he said.

"When we confirmed him on Monday, it looked like making into a small field. We confirmed him just before noon on Monday with what we thought were six runners in the race, but we later found out there were 13 left. I wouldn't have confirmed him if I had known there were going to be that many still in.

"Although there's only six left in, it still looks a tough race and we're happy enough to give it a miss with him."

The four-year-old won the Jockey Club Stakes on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket earlier in the year before finishing down the field in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Although he is entered in the Princess of Wales's sportingbet.com Stakes on Newmarket's July Course next week, Johnston may also opt out of running there.

"He's in a Group Two at Newmarket next week but I've got an open mind on plans for him," he added. "He had a couple of top-class races in quick succession so I would be happy to give him a break."

Twice Over, Mawatheeq, Viscount Nelson, Dar Re Mi, Sri Putra and Zacinto do battle in the Eclipse at the weekend.

Polly To Run A Cracker?

Clive Cox is in confident mood as Polly's Mark bids for her first Pattern-race success in Saturday's bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock.

The four-year-old was beaten just a head in a Listed event at the Merseyside venue back in May, following on from a fine fourth behind the classy Harbinger at Newbury. Cox feels his filly is reaching peak condition and is anticipating a prominent showing this weekend.

"Polly's Mark is in great form and I'm very happy with her at the moment," said Cox.

"She seems to have thrived since her last start at Haydock and we're looking forward to going back there with her this weekend.

"It's a Group Two and a step up in class, but her form is very commendable and she's definitely a high-class filly.

"Her run behind Harbinger at Newbury the time before last looks good now and hopefully she'll give an extremely good account of herself on Saturday."

Eclipse Preview...Fallon on Jukebox Jury

Kieren Fallon has been booked by Mark Johnston to ride Jukebox Jury, who was well behind Dar Re Mi in Dubai and has struggled in other domestic Group One events despite thriving abroad.

Fallon has won the Eclipse twice before, aboard Medicean in 2001 and Oratorio in 2005.

"Jukebox Jury may have finished one place ahead of Twice Over in last year's Coral-Eclipse, but the betting suggests that Kieren Fallon will need to be at his very best to confirm that running on Saturday," said Coral's David Stevens.

William Buick has needed to wait a while, but he will finally get his second chance to ride Dar Re Mi.

John Gosden's mare, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, has already mixed it with the very best in middle-distance company and is second favourite behind Twice Over for the Sandown Group One.

Fifth to Sea The Stars in last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and third to Conduit in the Breeders' Cup Turf, Dar Re Mi returned this year with victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Rising star Buick had not long been appointed stable jockey to the powerful Gosden operation and netting the near-£2million contest was a dream start for the partnership in late March.

Dar Re Mi has missed a couple of options and steps back onto the course against the likes of Prince of Wales's Stakes runner-up Twice Over and Zacinto, who steps up from a mile for the first time.

Buick said: "She's a stable star, an exceptional filly. What she did in Dubai was top class and it was a great experience for me.

"She is back down to a mile and a quarter for the first time in a while but I think she has a good chance."