Horse racing: GIVEN LOOKS TO ASCOT FOR DAN THE MAN

Dandino will head to Royal Ascot in search of a four-timer after rattling off the hat-trick in impressive fashion at Epsom on Derby Day.

James Given kept it low-key with his colt in previous starts, sending him to Redcar and Doncaster, but took on some smart three-year-olds in the Investec Vincent O'Brien Handicap.

Owned by the Elite Racing Club, Dandino (17-2) showed a striking turn of foot under Paul Mulrennan to settle the race very quickly.

"It has been such a frustrating couple of weeks as we have had a 30% runners to place ratio, but they have been running well without winning and to come off the cold list in that way is very pleasing," said Given.

"Paul rode with lots of confidence and he has done it in a tremendous manner.

"We will step up to a mile and a half now for the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot 2010."

Godolphin look to have discovered a useful older filly with German recruit Antara making a winning debut for Sheikh Mohammed's operation in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

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Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: "If she comes out of this OK she could possibly go to Royal Ascot 2010, where the Windsor Forest would be the obvious race."

Hardened Irish two-year-old High Award (7-1) took advantage of the slow early pace to dominate the Investec Woodcote Stakes under Johnny Murtagh.

"We worked him hard to win first time out, but I suppose we've been easy on him the last couple of times and those have put him right for today.

"He had plenty of experience and handled the track well," said Fozzy Stack, son and assistant to trainer Tommy.

Stuart Williams' bottom-weight Bertoliver was third at the course in April but went off at 33-1 as he blitzed down the stands rail in the Investec Entrepreneurial Class 'Dash'.

"We'll think about Ascot now, where we have the Coventry, Norfolk and Windsor Castle as options."

It was a fine moment for winning jockey Jack Mitchell, son of local trainer Philip.

"He has been a disappointing horse since he won so well at Lingfield last year," said the Newmarket baronet.

Sir Mark Prescott's continued his ridiculously hot form as Fortuni (9-1) turned the Investec Surefooted Challenge into a procession.

"I didn't think he ran very well at York last time so we decided to change the tactics, make the running, and it worked."

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Horse racing: Wesley Ward culls his team for this year's Royal Ascot meeting

US trainer Wesley Ward, who broke new ground when winning two juvenile races at Royal Ascot last year, has scrapped plans to be mob handed at next weeks renewal and may only have one representative or even none at all.

A team of four youngsters were originally penned into plunder further booty at next weeks Berkshire bash but Ward changed plans to send them to Newmarket last Thursday at the last minute.

Ward may now send the unbeaten Metropolitan Man for the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes on Thursday week but even these plans are subject to change and flight plans later this week.

Twelve months ago, Ward landed the Queen Mary and Windsor Castle Stakes with Jealous Again and Strike the Tiger respectively.

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Adrian Beaumont, of the International Racing Bureau, said: 'Wesley Ward pulled the plug on last weeks flight at the last minute and has no horses in Newmarket at present. One might still be coming,which may be Metropolitan Man, but I haven't had that confirmed yet.'

Meanwhile Toby Coles has recently become one of the youngest ever trainers to hold a licence in Newmarket and the 25-year-old is hoping that Silken Promise can give him his first success at Folkestone on Monday.

A former assistant to Sir Mark Prescott and Ed Dunlop, Cole filled a similar role with Christophe Clement in the US before extending his global knowledge in Australia and New Zealand.

Cole has recently returned to Newmarket where he currently rents a barn from Rae Guest at his Chestnut Tree Stables base on the Hamilton Road.

The rookie trainer said: 'I decided I had to have go myself at training as no one would employ me as an assistant anymore.I rent 14 boxes at Rae Guest's and have 8 in at the moment. We have had four runners to date and it would be nice to get one on the board on Monday.'

As well as his training duties, Coles has been helping connections of Australian sprinting star Gold Trail prepare their speedster for Royal Ascot next week.

The handler traded his tweed cap for a skull cap at the weekend when putting the six year old through his paces on the Al Bahathri Polytrack.

Coles has booked Frankie Dettori for the ride on Silken Promise who faces ten rivals in the twelve furlong Joy Is Discovering Your Favourite Brands Handicap (4.15).

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Horse racing: Prince Charles will miss Royal Ascot to recover from chest infection

The Prince of Wales will miss Royal Ascot 2010 next week on doctors' orders, so he can recover from an ongoing illness.

He is to take three days off next week, cancelling all planned engagements, so he can try to shake off a persistent chest infection.

But the heir to the throne decided against rest and recuperation this week because he had so many important events to attend.

A spokesman for Clarence House said: “On doctor’s advice, The Prince of Wales will be taking three days off at the beginning of next week.

The Prince’s commitments this week include taking part in The Queen’s Birthday Parade, hosting two military receptions, visiting the Royal Cornwall Show and giving a lecture on Islam and the environment to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

“The Prince has been suffering from a persistent chest infection for over a month and doctors have advised him to find a number of consecutive days in which to have a complete rest.”

Instead of cancelling them, he will take three days off at the start of next week. The Prince will travel to Birkhall, his private home on the Queen's Balmoral Estate in Scotland, with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.

He will miss Royal Ascot 2010, the week-long race meeting and highlight of the social calendar that dates back to 1711.

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The Prince will also miss the Garter Service and Procession, which always takes place at Windsor Castle on the Monday of Royal Ascot week and which is traditionally attended by all senior members of the Royal family.

In her throne room, the Queen will formally invest new Companions of the Order of the Garter – the senior British Order of Chivalry, founded in 1348 – with the insignia.

Following lunch, there is a procession of the Knights to St George’s Chapel followed by an installation ceremony.

The Prince's illness is not believed to be serious and he is scheduled to return to work on Thursday.

It is believed he has attended every Garter ceremony since 1989, and Ascot each year for most of the past decade.

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Horse racing: Richard Hannon Jr confident Paco Boy is ready for Ascot

The Queen Anne looks like being race of the week at Royal Ascot 2010 and Paco Boy's team are in confident mood.

Dual Breeders' Cup Mile heroine Goldikova and Sussex Stakes winner Rip Van Winkle are preparing to take on the apple of Richard Hannon's eye in what should be a thriller.

Hannon Jnr admits Paco Boy still has it to prove against opponents of that calibre, but believes if he is ever going to do so, then it will be this year.

He said:"Goldikova is very good and she'll be very hard to beat. She is a champion and Paco Boy is not at that status yet, but he does seem better this year than ever."

In the St James' Palace, Hill make another Hannon star, Canford Cliffs favourite to take revenge on French raider Makfi, who brushed him aside in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Last year's Coventry Stakes winner finally got it right when bolting up in the Irish 2000 Guineas.

Hannon Jnr said:"He came home so well at Newmarket I was a little bit disappointed he didn't win that day.

"He'd had a prep run and there was no issue with the trip so it was maybe the dip that beat him. We're taking on the winner again but we still fancy him."

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Ladbrokes slashed French Derby runner-up Planteur to 16-1 from 25s for the Arc and spokesman David Williams explained: "Lope De Vega seems unlikely to get the Arc trip so we've taken the runner-up Planteur out of the race and suspect he is capable of better later this year."

Michael Bell reckons Sariska is in for a lucrative campaign after her great run in the Coronation Cup. Last season's dual Oaks winner found only the brilliant Fame And Glory too good in a vintage renewal.

Bell said: "She ran a huge race, but just came up short against a very good horse on the day. We've got some big targets ahead but I have to have a proper chat with her owner."

Haljaferia is worth the wait in the last at Salisbury. The son of Halling bounced back to form at HQ recently in an amateur race and the booking of Fallon looks interesting.

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Horse racing: Kieren Fallon rides Al Zir in Derby

The colt, which finished ninth in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on his only outing so far this season, is a 33-1 chance with most bookmakers.

On a day of shocks in racing, it was revealed that Kieren Fallon has been booked to ride Al Zir for Godolphin in the Investec Derby at Epsom.

Fallon had been lamenting the possibility of missing out on the Classic. He was passed over for Ted Spread, and had been waiting for a call from Aidan O’Brien for one of the Ballydoyle team, but the call never came.

Godolphin will have Frankie Dettori riding stable elect Rewilding, now 8-1 from 12-1 with Ladbrokes, Ahmed Ajtebi aboard 66-1 chance Buzzword, and now Fallon on Al Zir.

Simon Crisford, racing manager for the 'royal blues,’ said; “Kieren Fallon’s record in the Derby is fantastic, and he was available.”

The unbeaten sprinter was under consideration for either the Golden Jubilee Stakes or the King’s Stand Stakes, but is not yet at peak fitness from a protracted spell on the sidelines.

Overdose, the legendary Hungarian horse dubbed the 'Budapest Bullet’, will not run at Royal Ascot.

Although pencilled in to return at Bratislava on June 6, after which a trip to Berkshire beckoned, those plans have now been scrapped.

Owner Zoltan Mikoczy said: “Having seen the horse train and evaluated this, it was decided not to take part at Bratislava or Ascot.

Overdose has been off the track since last April as he recovers from a foot injury.

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Overdose out of Ascot - but on comebacktrail

The Hungarian sprinter, nicknamed the 'Budapest Bullet', missed all last year with a foot problem, but owner Zoltan Mikoczy remains upbeat about the five-year-old.

He said: "Royal Ascot is definitely off as it would be wrong to go there without a run. Any other horse maybe, but Overdose needs two runs before a Group 1 race."

His owner continued: "We are now looking at a Listed race at Maisons-Laffitte on June 25 (Prix de Hampton) for his planned comeback."

OVERDOSE was on Tuesday ruled out of Royal Ascot, but the 'winner' of the voided Prix del'Abbaye two years ago is ready to make his comeback in France this month.

Overdose was a 10-1 shot generally for the King's Stand Stakes and 12-1 for the Golden Jubilee, but was taken out of the betting by a number of firms on Tuesday.

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Ryder Cup boosts Welsh golf – Corporate Hospitality group

A body known as Golf Development Wales was launched as a direct result of winning the 2010 bid and they are already proud of some of their achievements.

The Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor may be just three days in October, but for golf in Wales the effect of having the match for the first time will hopefully be long lasting.

Five new regional Centres of Excellence are now in existence and more than 40 new or improved beginner facilities have been built.

At a recent "golf awareness" week, thousands of people at more than 100 clubs were able to have free lessons and try the game.

There have been 1.5 million opportunities for juniors and beginners to try golf and 77,000 schoolchildren have participated in the sport.

There is a stand in the tented village at this week's Wales Open - also at Celtic Manor - and the current Welsh number one Rhys Davies was spending time there today to encourage youngsters to try to follow in his footsteps.

Tomorrow his focus will be on trying to become the first home winner of the event and after winning in Morocco in March and finishing second to Luke Donald in Madrid on Sunday, the 25-year-old's hopes are high.

Hundreds of them decided to take up membership and it is estimated that the result of that will bring more than £500,000 into golf.

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