Fallon stars on Tayif

Sprint specialist David Nicholls did it again as he landed the Tote Ayr Silver Cup with Tayif today.

But the trainer was quick to give credit to jockey Kieren Fallon for his second victory in three years in the race for horses eliminated from the Gold Cup - in which he has three runners bidding to give him a second straight win tomorrow.

Tayif was drawn in stall 17 on the stands` side of the 27-runner field for the six-furlong dash but his rider was convinced that the far side was the place to be and tracked the pace on that part of the track.

And the former champion jockey`s judgment proved spot-on as his mount, a 12-1 shot, flew in the final furlong to catch Sharp Hat (16-1) and score by a neck in a finish dominated by those drawn low.

Only For Gold (16-1) was another half length away in third with a further neck back to gambled-on Debbie`s Warning, who was backed from a morning 25-1 into 7-1 favourite but could only dead-heat for fourth with the winner`s stable-companion Rudik.

Boanerges was first home on the stands` side in sixth place.

Nicholls, whose Royal Result took this prize in 1998, said: 'I thought we would be better on the stands` side but Kieren thought we should go the other side - he made his own mind up and that`s why he`s a top-class jockey.'

Fallon explained: 'I thought the speed would be on that side, you can normally work it out.

'The gaps came in time for us and it worked out well.'

The winner was repaying the faith of his trainer, who not only saddled two of the first five but recalled that he also bought the runner-up for David Chapman.

'Tayif came from Pip Payne,' Nicholls said. 'I gave six grand for him but he failed the vet - he said he wouldn`t stand training!'

The Tote offer just 5-1 against either Continent, Undeterred or The Tatling scoring for Nicholls in tomorrow`s Gold Cup, which the trainer took with Bahamian Pirate last year - though Fallon will be unable to help this time as he is due to ride at Newbury.

Shortest priced of Nicholls` trio in the field is Continent, whose odds were slashed from 14-1 to 9-1 by the sponsors today.

The trainer said: 'Continent has been very unlucky and he has got to have some luck soon. Perhaps tomorrow will be his lucky day.'

Nicholls had initiated a 77-1 double in the Aon Consulting Claiming Stakes with Exeat (5-1), who was himself completing a 21 1/2-1 brace for George Duffield.

The jockey had previously been on the mark on Al Moughazel, who justified Pip Payne`s 360-mile trip up from Newmarket by landing the HBG Properties Conditions Stakes, leading a furlong out and holding off the strong-finishing Jelani by a length.

The two-year-old, winner of his only previous start, was backed from 7-2 into 11-4 and is held in high regard by his trainer.

'He is a lovely horse,' Payne said. 'He is still a bit of a baby and took time to find his stride but he is a nice horse in the making.

'He is from the family of Galileo and Triptych and he`s bred to be a mile-and-a-half horse next year.

'I wouldn`t mind giving him another race this year as the experience would suit him. He is in the Royal Lodge and the Racing Post Trophy - we will see how he comes out of this but he is going the right way.'