Stewards' Fancies Take The High Road

Ante-post favourite Firenze will race from stall 22 as high numbers proved popular at the draw ceremony for tomorrow's Vodafone Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood.

James Fanshawe's charge, the mount of Frankie Dettori, was 10th out of the hat and joint-owner Jan Hopper opted to go towards the far side, which has produced six of the last eight winners of the six-furlong handicap.

'We are very happy with that,' she said.

'It looks as though there is going to be plenty of pace on both sides.

'She's in good form and we are really looking forward to it but you need a lot of luck.'

Firenze has been cut to 9-2 favourite from 5-1 by Stan James, who have also clipped Bentong to 7-1 from 8-1.

?Sprint king' David Nicholls won the race as a jockey on Soba in 1982 and as a trainer with Tayseer in 2000 and with Gift Horse last year.

He has five runners this time with Tax Free drawn 27, Peace Offering (13), Bahamian Pirate (25), last year's fourth Merlin's Dancer (11) and Continent (1).

'The one good thing is that there is pace on this side, middle and high,' Nicholls said.

'Merlin's Dancer led last year until he was collared in the last 100 yards. There is pace everywhere but I don't like the middle.

'Tax Free is in good order. He came out of the draw early and I was happy with 27 but I don't know which would be the pick.

'I suppose Tax Free is the up-and-coming kid, things didn't go right for him last time when he lost a shoe.

'He can do what he wants, if there is pace in front of him he can sit in and if not he can make his own pace.

'Continent has been a great horse for us, Pirate is a legend and a bit of rain would help those two, a bit of rain would help them all to be fair.

'They are all in good heart and in good form so let's see if we can get number three.'

Totesport trimmed Tax Free's price by two points to 7-1 after the draw became known while Paddy Power go the same price from 10-1.

(C) PA Sport