Japanese raider T O Keynes well supported for the Dubai World Cup

T O Keynes has been backed into a single-figure price as he bids to give Japan a second victory in the Dubai World Cup (4.35) at Meydan.

Trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, the six-year-old is now a 17-2 chance to win the lucrative Group 1 having been a 10-1 shot on Saturday morning.

T O Keynes finished second in his prep run for this and is the big-race mount of Oisin Murphy. He is one of eight Japanese-trained horses contesting the Dubai World Cup, in which their sole success came in 2011 with Victoire Pisa.

The World Cup betting is currently headed by the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Algiers at 100-30, with last year's winner Country Grammer next best at 7-2.

At the Curragh, Emporio is closing in on favouritism in the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire (3.25) after he was backed into single-figure prices on Saturday morning.

Despite only winning once last year, the five-year-old had some strong form including when second in a Listed contest at Leopardstown in October, and ended his campaign when runner-up at Naas a month later.

Emporio: big market mover in the Irish LincolnshireCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He has been a major mover in the Irish Lincolnshire market and is now 7-1, having been as big as 12-1 in the morning. He has course-and-distance winning form when landing a maiden at the Curragh in June 2021.

At Kelso, Salvino has been backed to give local trainer Sandy Thomson success in the Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle (1.50) on the second day of the Racing Post Go North Festival.

The seven-year-old has to carry top weight of 12st in the 2m5f contest and disappointed on his last start when seventh at Musselburgh in early February. 

However, he had been in good form prior to that and his last win came at the Scottish track in November when he prevailed by a neck. He is now a general 8-1 chance, having been as big as 12-1 overnight.

While he will be aiming to give Thomson his first winner in 21 days, the trainer has a red-hot strike-rate of 32 per cent at Kelso this season with ten winners from 31 runners.

The betting for the series final is headed by Coral Blue, a course-and-distance winner who arrives seeking a hat-trick.

Market Movers

Curragh
3.25 9. Emporio 7-1 (from 12)

Kelso
1.50 1. Salvino 8-1 (from 12)

Meydan
4.35 13. T O Keynes 17-2 (from 10)

Testing ground in store at Newbury and the Curragh

Tough conditions will be in store at Newbury after the going was eased to soft, heavy in places following rain on Friday.

The track had 7mm of rain during racing on Friday, taking the week's total to 43mm in the last week, and more light showers could hit during racing in the afternoon.

Conditions will be similarly testing for opening day of the Irish Flat season at the Curragh, where the going is soft to heavy, heavy in places and features the ultra- competitive Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire (3.25).

The going at Meydan for its lucrative Dubai World Cup card is good on the turf track and fast on the dirt track.

The Dubai World Cup takes place at 4.35 on a card that features five Group 1s and a host of top-class horses, with Irish Derby winner Westover and multiple top-level winner Lord North among those on show in the Dubai Sheema Classic (4.00) and Dubai Turf (3.10).

Going and non-runners: at-a-glance guide to the day's action 

Non-runners

Newbury
1.30: 4. Kaleb (Going), 10. Maclaine (Self Cert)
2.05: 3. The Big Bite (Cold)
2.40: 15. Mrs Grimley (Not Eaten Up)
3.50: 18.Jersey Gem (Going)
4.25: 1. Hatcher (Going), 9. Calgary Tiger (Going)

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