Point Given to face eight rivals

Point Given faces eight rivals as he bids to extend his big-race sequence in the million-dollar Grade One Travers Stakes over 10 furlongs at Saratoga on Saturday.

Impressive in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the Bob Baffert-trained colt only scraped home in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

The American champion had missed three weeks training before that race due to an abscess in his near-hind hoof and was below his best.

However, the colt nicknamed the 'big red train' has clearly thrived since Monmouth and there is no shortage of confidence in the camp.

Jim Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert, said: 'He`s got a good post, equal weights and a mile and a quarter. It`s all in our favour.'

Point Given, building towards a mouthwatering clash with Galileo in the Breeders` Cup Classic in October, is an even-money shot in the Morning Line.

E Dubai, Godolphin`s Peter Pan Stakes winner, is the 7-2 second choice in the betting. He will be running over two turns for the first time.

Tom Albertrani, the Godolphin assistant, said: 'I don`t think E Dubai will have a problem with that. He`s a talented horse and can overcome that.'

Scorpion and A P Valentine, the Preakness and Belmont second, are quoted at 6-1 and 8-1 respectively.