The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 19

OBSERVER SUNDAY 24 JULY 1988 19 ffff SOD $Sft Go)o)F BIT I. as HUGH MclLVANNEY hails a talent that cannot be diluted by the summer rains EAMONN McCABE A cloudy Hate of Honey BOXING: Apart from the Bruno-frustrating bout between Mike Tyson's mother-in-law and manager, there aren't too many genuine grudge fights around these days. However, to suggest that Lloyd Honeyghan and Marlon Starling dislike each other is the sort of understatement that spoils boxing's love affair with hype. The holders of rival versions of the world welterweight title almost met in an unscheduled preliminary to Tyson and Spinks's brief encounter last month. They had to be pulled apart after a press conference by Hone-yghan's agitated manager Mickey Dun, never one to encourage a free show before the cheques are signed.

No sham, this. The press had already left when the squaring-up began. Starling reckons Honeyghan guz-umped him to get first crack at Don Curry when the Briton won his title two years ago. The black American has disparaged him since, once nastily sneering to snappy dresser Honeyghan that he looked 'nigger rich' in his bracelets and medallions. They're back in Adantic City on Friday when 28-year-old Honeyghan defends his newly-regained WBCIBF titles against of truly outstanding jockeys.

'Michael is quite definitely says Jimmy Lindley, who kicked plenty of decent horses home over three decades before he placed his accumulated knowledge at the disposal of the BBC. 'You could tell he was out of the ordinary just by the look in his eye, his eagerness to learn, as he talked to fellas like Lester and Pat Eddery in the days when they used to go down to South Africa to ride. He's got a very bright mind and a determination that shows through in everything he does, whether it is breeding champion cattle on his South African farm or riding winners. We're lucky that he's settled now in England with his wife and two daughters. 'He's got tremendous tactical sense he can wait in front or, as he did with Mtoto, swoop with a killing surge and his balance is wonderful.

His arse never flops down in the saddle but stays raised and steady so that, as they say, you could sit a glass of wine on his back without spilling any. That gives his horses a chance to use the full thrust of their hindquarters at the Roberts prefers to make his move late. 'I like to reserve as much of a horse's energy as I can for the last furlong. Naturally, that means judging pace, avoiding trouble, giving them as smooth a passage as possible. Race-riding is like driving in heavy traffic.

You never want to get stuck behind a The speaker is a trim, impressive presence (he is 5ft lin and can do 8st comfortably), with small, neat features that smile warmly or clench resolutely with equal ease. Both expressions were memorably in evidence yesterday. Mtoto, on feet that were once tiny and have been worryingly brittle over the years, had carried himself and 'Mouse' Roberts to the biggest triumph of THE OPPOSITION of two of Britain's most fickle institutions, the weather and the betting public, could do nothing yesterday to obscure Mtoto's right to be declared the best middle-distance horse in Europe. The superb five-year-old motored irresistibly from last to first in the Ascot straight to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at the freakishly generous odds of 4-1. Immediately after taking the Eclipse Stakes at San-down three weeks ago, Mtoto was quoted at evens for the great contest that is the English all-age equivalent of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

But the rain which had fallen so frequently over the last few days convinced most who are inclined to have a financial interest that his prospects would be buried in ground too soft to permit nun his customary electrifying finish. His price drifted, but the belief of the inspired human partnership responsible for his successes, Scottish trainer Alec Stewart and South African jockey Michael Roberts, remained unshakeable. Their hero hates the rain so much that a shower of it can replace his placidly agreeable nature with kicking, bucking awkwardness ('When it's falling on him he just wants to stand under a tree or put his head in a says Roberts) but they were adamant that Ascot's recent soaking would not dramatically impair his devastating speed. Stewart, at 33 a year younger than Roberts, punctuated euphoric tributes to Mtoto in the unsaddling enclosure with the assertion that the going at Ascot was good and certainly fast enough to allow the bay son of Busted to flourish his talent. 'When he was beaten twice as a three-year-old on soft ground he was weak in every respect.

Now he is an extremely strong horse and he's a brilliant one. He Michael Roberts, riding on a dream, is home and dry on Mtoto George. Almost since the moment he began his jockey's apprenticeship back in Durban as a 14-year-old weighing 4st 41b, he had been dreaming of riding such a horse in such a race and yesterday morning he was still strenuously resisting other people's doubts. That Roberts has a hunger for the kind of success accountants cannot measure was demonstrated when he gave up his dominant position in South African racing and took an appreciable drop in income to ride for Gavin Hunter in 1978. A virus in the stable, and a crop of two-year-olds that were no world-beaters even when long out, only the minor pla-cings were in question.

His time was slow but who cared. Second, two lengths back, was Unfuwain, favourite here and now favourite for the St Leger. Third, a further length and a half away, was Italy's Tony Bin. In eighth place was the Derby second, Glacial Storm, which makes one bookmaking firm's decision to have Kahyasi, the absent Epsom winner, ahead of Mtoto in the Arc betting rather extraordinary. Michael Roberts had refused to let the English climate water down his confidence during the dripping days before the King well, combined then with an unenthusiastic Press to ensure that his six months' stay in the country he has always regarded as the headquarters of the game was less than joyful.

But he had the considerable compensation of finding a kindred spirit in Alec Stewart, who was working at the time as assistant to Hunter, and when Stewart began training at Newmarket under his own banner Roberts's ambition to prove himself at the highest level was rekindled to the point where it demanded action. He telephoned with a direct offer of his services and says he will be grateful for ever Final session goes swimminqly for MAURICE HAMILTON at Hockenhelm THERE was a time when the McLaren team were dominating American sports car racing to, such an extent that Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme, having" locked up the front of the starting grid on the first day. of practice, would spend the final session by the hotel swimming pool. Times and the management of the British-based team have changed, but Ayrton Senna came close to demoralising the opposition during the final qualifying session at Hocken-heim yesterday when he concentrated solely on setting up his car for today's German Grand Prix rather than trying for a fast time. Such confidence was well founded.

Senna maintained his chemical reaction IT HAS been apparent for some time that pedals are not the only things being pushed on the Tour de France, and the shadow under which Pedro Delgado will ride to victory in Paris today will darken the stain on this great event. Delgado was discovered to have taken the drug pro-benicid which is on the Olympic banned list but, conveniently, is not due to be outlawed by the International Cycling Union until next week. He therefore escaped the punishment that befell the Dutch rider Theu- nisse, in whom was detected a drug as yet unnamed nffiriallv But any condemnation of Delgado and big-tune cycling ougbt to be tempered by the peculiarities of the sport and the ambiguity that inevitably accompanies any flare-up of the drugs-in-sport issue. It was odd, for instance, that not one ot the other 180 riders raised the slightest objection to Delgado's escape from punishment on what at best can be termed a technicality. Athlete Carl Lewis hollered blue murder last year because he thought some ot ms rivals Had taken drugs, so you would have thought that after strin ging around the world's tougnest race tor three weeks other cyclists might have moaned about unfair advantage.

On the contrary, the second-placed man, Steven Rooks of Holland, said that if Delgado had been iorcea to surrender the winner's yellow jersey to him he would have cycled all the way to spain to give it oacK. On Friday every rider took oart in a sit-down nrn- test against the way in which the tests are conducted. Their collective disdain finf the tests o-nes back a long time. In his deiinmve book on the Tour, 'The Great Bike Genffrev Nichol son tells of the struggles to get them even to take part at all and how in the 1966 race they registered their ahiectinn hv dis mounting and chanting uiSt-1 AQnIi ciaM niu vu OlWJa Fellowshin of this denth and solidity suggests only that they telt Uel-eado hadn't committed a crime, that the taking of neipiui substances is so commonnlace it is nnt worthy of reproach. If mat stage has been reached one wonders what advantage there is left in drug-taking.

Havine had mv first close-up experience of tne lour last week I must confess I am not surprised if riders seek puarmaL-euiiciii assiS tance in facine its merri. less demands. The rest of us wouldn't attempt some of those climbs without at least three gallons of rocket fuel. So much food and drink is crammed through those thin bodies in order to provide the daily 8,000 calories, four times a man's normal outnut. necessary to compete tnat tne ordinary body functions must come under enormous strain That would seem to demand all the help medicine can give.

Where the line is drawn between that sort of aid and the substance which actually assists performance I cannot tell. Rut when are we ever told what exactly this or that drug does tor a sports man. what nreoice advantage it gives him ana at wnat We seem to accept more understanding the dependence of the harassed housewife on Valium, of the City and showbiz whizz-kids on cocaine, even of the distressed journalist on booze but the horror expressed when a sportsman reaches for a chemical solution knows no bounds. An athlete doesn't sell his soul to the devil, he sells his body. The chance of glory now often demands a grim repayment in the future.

The boxer with his jellied brain, the footballer with his arthritic knee, the golfer's back all those joints that work so fluently, the hearts that beat so bravely, they are all prone to a reckoning. It is a sportman's own body and, within reason, his own business. If the men who complete the Tour de France today are prepared to salute Pedro Delgado for a great achievement, then so must I. Peter Corrigan Korea's Yung-kil Chung while Starling meets Colombian Tomas Molinares in a WBA bout. Barring both should come through to start thinking about settling tneir very real duterences properly and profitably.

VOLLEYBALL: Olympic qualifiers Sweden won the Royal Bank men's international cup in Birmingham, beating Cuba 13-4, ts-v. Kelly's aye FOOTBALL: David Kelly, snapped up by West Ham in a surprise move on Friday night, is tne extra ingredient the Hammers need to make them a force to be reckoned with next season, according to manager John Lfyall. He said 22-year-old Irish international from Walsall was the most exciting player outside the First Division. 'He is what I would describe as a natural player with plenty of flair and will bring a lot of exciting action to the he said. Kelly, wanted by a host of other, including Tottenham and Bayern Munich, has signed a three-year i contract with West Ham, 'Who paid Walsall 600,000 to land an immediate replacement for Tony Cottee, set to move to either Arsenal or Everton in a 2 million deal this week.

Irish team manager Jack Charlton has suffered a rare home defeat. Dublin Corporation had considered making him a freeman of the city in recognition of the team's European championship efforts but instead have plumped for Nelson Mandela. Leicester City goalkeeper Ian Andrews has joined Celtic for 300,000. WEIGHT-LIFTING: British shot put chamnion Judy Oakes, 30, won the 82.5 Kg women's weigntuning title at Wythenshawe, setting a new British snatch record of 88kg in her 200kg total. Hooping it up seemed more like Wimbledon than Hur-lingham, all rain, fist-clench-ing and air-Dunchine.

when Steve Mulliner won the Carls- berg Open championship, beating doubles Dartner Nisei Aspinall, eight times champion since 1969. Mulliner had achieved every other honour tne game but this one had eluded him for ten years, rather like Ivan Lendl at Wimbledon. Mulliner completely dominated the final, Aspinall failing to make a single hoop in either game. SNOOKER: Nick Bursess. 25, and Paul Reid, 20, from Exeter, played for 15 days, totalling 633 frames, to break the world record in a charity marathon.

Monster swim SWIMMING: Well, our hero did it! Yorkshireman David Morgan, 24, whom we last spotted in Loch Ness a week ago, duly completed his epic three-leg swim when he eOgjaidl Reigning monarch: relaxes so well these days that we were sure he would get the mile and a half. 'I knew, too, that they wouldn't go a terrific pace and if Michael waited behind he would be able to cut them down in the straight because of our fellow's magnificent turn of foot. Michael had felt that maybe he should not drop as far back as usual today but he thanked me afterwards for talking him round. They did play into our hands by making it a slow-run race and they had no chance when Mtoto came at That's how it was all right and once Mtoto took the lead slightly more than a fur pole position on a day when a temperature of 34 degrees centigrade, four degrees higher than Friday, ensured that track conditions would not favour fast times. It was ah astute move by Senna to today's race since he will need every advantage now that Alain Prost, angered over disparaging comments in the French press concerning his disappointing performance in the British Grand Prix two weeks ago, is keen to set the record straight.

And, as Senna knows, Prost can do that only by beating his Brazilian teammate. Second place will be about as 'much use as finishing runner-up in the General Election, such is the intense com i jn. I HUW RICHARDS on the Tour de France gado, he was the 16th starter and turned in a time of lhr 2mins and 37secs for the 46-kilometre circuit. Like Sean Yates a fortnight ago, he spent the next few hours waiting by the finish as a succession of challengers failed to last the pace. Yates made a creditable bid, finishing a minute and a half down for eighth place.

Belgian Claude Criquielion and Gert-Jan Theunisse, indignant Dutch victim of a drugs penalty earlier in the week, both threatened before fading into the headwind. As the leaders came in it was clear only Delgado was likely to threaten his compatriot. He led at 10, 24 and 40 kilometres before the headwind took its toll, leaving him in fourth place, 11 seconds down. None of his rivals came within two minutes of him, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to Thomas Muster and Alexander Anton- itSCh. eivine Austria a 3-f) winning lead and rendering raaay reverse singles matches meaningless.

On an afternoon when the courtside temperature soared beyond 100 degrees, Muster was the one who kept his cool most impressively. He was impregnable on serve and was steadfastly assisted by Anton-itsch. The Austrians conceded only five points on their serve in the opening set, capturing it by breaking Bates in the sixth game. Another service loss by Bates cost Britain the second set and the rest appeared a formality. Suddenly the Austrians began to wilt in the fierce heat, the elegant Muster dropped serve and the British were back in the match.

But in the Davis Cup competition a 15-minute break is permitted in the King George. that Stewart bet on his abilities. Of course, the trainer, having put Roberts up on about a third of the 60-odd winners he has ridden this season, is equally delighted with the alliance. And he knew when he established it in March, 1986 that he wasn't gambling too outrageously; his new jockey had been South African champion 11 times, the first to take that title while still an apprentice and the first in his country to ride more than 200 winners in a season. At least as important as those persuasive statistics was the clear evidence that they were built on the qualities that underpin the careers Senna Times attar final qualifying session: 1.

A Senna (Bra) McLaren 1 minute 44.596 seconds (average speed 233.940 Kph); 2. A Prost (Fra) McLaren 1:44.873: 3. Berger (Aut) Ferrari .1:46.115: 4, Alboreto Ferrari (Br() Lotus 1:47.681: 6. A 'Nannlnl (It) Benetton 7. I Capelli (It) March 8.

Nakaima (Jpn) Lotus fc-JbutMrit8l) Benetton' 1:48.837: 10. Gugelmin (Bra) 'March ii. Mansell (OB) Williams 12. Warwick (GB) Arrows 13. Patrese (It) Williams 14.

A de Cesarls (It) Rial 15. Cheever (US) Arrows 1:51.171. Other Umes: 24. Palmer (GB) Tyrrell 29. Bailey (GB) lyrren Jaguar face a difficult task in today's 1,000 kilometre race at Brands Hatch after yesterday's practice session was dominated by Sauber Mercedes.

Two of the German cars occupy the front row of the starting grid tor tne 4U-Jap race. Casper back in third place oenina inies. Player had begun the day at nine-under-par on 131 and tooKea as tnougn he would Walk awav from the fipiri when he birdied two of the first three holes, hittina a simerh wedge to within six inches of uie pin at tne first, but some of the magic wore off when he dropped shots at both the seventh and eighth, and despite a birdie at the short eleventh the South African dropped three shots in the last five holes. Great Britain and Ireland need to win seven of today's singles to regain the Johnnie Walker PGA Cup at the Bei-fry. After taking a 6J-5J lead from the foursomes, they were white-washed 4-0 in the four-balls.

Sweden's Liselotte Neumann compiled a' bogey-free 69, tied another scoring record and pulled away to a two-shot lead yesterday in the third round of the U.S. Women's Open Championship. Neumann completed three rounds at the Five Farms course at the Baltimore Country Club in five-under-par 208, which tied the Women's Open record for 54 holes, set by Amy Alcott in 1980. ous forehand, anvthine but amusing. There was nnthino at all fnr a British follower to laugh about in Zell Am See until you left the tennis and headed for the beer festival.

Boris Becker and Eric Jelen rallied from two sets down to beat the Yugoslav pair of Slobodan Zivojinovic and Goran Ivanisevic yesterday and put West Germany into the final of the Davis Cup. The 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 11-9, 9-7 doubles victory in just under four hours gave West Germany an unbeatable 3-0 lead over Yugoslavia before today's reverse singles in the World Group semi-final. Davis Cup holders Sweden took a 1-0 lead in their resumed semi-final against France yesterday. Mats Wilan-der, who trailed by one set and 4-4 in the second when rain halted play on Friday, won 2-6, 13-11, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. petition hi- 'a championship which this year looks like going to the McLaren driver who' wins' the'niost feces.

In the past, outright wins have frequently proved to be no answer to a driver quietly and consistently collecting points for minor placings, something Nigel Mansell knows to his cost. Prost spent a few laps trying to improve on second place on the grid before following Senna's example and adjusting the chassis and engine to give maximum performance without consuming the allocated 150 litres of fuel before the but all conserved their rankings. Rooks, taking over as PDM leader when Greg LeMond decided not to ride, had rocketed from the ranks of the solid professionals to become a serious and formidable contender. Columbia's Fabio Parra, who left Luis Herrera's team to pursue his own ambitions, has consistently outshone his former leader. Canada's Steve Bauer has surprisingly provided the strongest challenge from the anglophones who have dominated recent major tours.

Millar was out of sorts, Kelly fell away in the Alps, and Hampsten left his best form in Italy, but Bauer has hung on impressively. mi RONALD ATKIN if matches are still alive after three sets. The Austrians came back with zeal replenished and the British pair simply were not up to the job. Austria are fortunate to have produced a player of the high calibre of Muster, a 20-year-old left-hander ranked 24th in the world, and they have spectacular, if occasionally slightly comical, singles support from Horst Skoff. So defeat was not surprising.

PR0CWBE1EDICINflL(J TJ at end of the ninth 'round of the championship. Gerhard Ber-ger, on the other never-gave up hope of- reducing the 1.2 second deficit to Prost, the Ferrari driver suffering a wild spin during the closing minutes of practice when another car suddenly pulled out in front of his Ferrari, forcing him onto the grass. Berger can be counted on to carry his enthusiasm into the race, although as ever the Austrian's progress will be severely restricted by the high fuel consumption of the Ferrari turbo. Nonetheless, Berger will be tempted to make ZIMBABWE'S Tony Johnstone goes into today's final round of the Dutch Open three strokes clear of the field. He is 14-under-par on 202 after a third round 68 yesterday, with Ireland's Des Smyth his closest rival on 205 after a 67.

Fellow Zimbabwean Mark McNulty third, one stroke further back after a 67. Johnstone, only one ahead overnight, went out in 33 with four hirdies in siv hnlpc Ho holed from 12 feet and 25 feet tor two of them and declared: 'I always play better when I'm in front. I seem to opt rnlmer. and eight of my victories as a pro nave come wnen. 1 was leading on the final Smyth birdied three of the first four holes but then dropped two strokes to damage his hones nf his first tnnr win for five years, before iignnng oacK witn an inward 32.

McNllltv will on hart tn tVio top of the European money list above British Open champion Seve Ballesteros if he collects the first nrize of 41.6(10 Hp had five birdies and was never over par, but was disappointed io miss inree snort putts. Australia's Craio Pamr IUIJ, Spam Jose Maria-Olazabal, Zell Am See However, the manner of it was infinitely depressing. When Warren Jacques was appointed director of men's tennis in Britain almost a year ago, he described it as the world's toughest job. He promised the expenditure of much sweat his own and his players' to lift British tennis from the mire and in the past few days he has been repeating his call for motivation. Sadly there was no sign on ASCOT 2.0 (1m) J0UGENERATI0N (Amanda Harwood) 4-7 fav, Propero 4-1 Court Town 33-1, 3: 15 ran (G Har wood) 6.

4 Tote: 1.60, 1.20. 1.10. 5.80, DF: 2.40. CSF: 3.26.2.35 (61) MUMBUBH (R Hills) 6-1, Kerrera 4-1 fav. 2: Miss Secreto 25-1, 6 ran (Thomson Jones) 1J.

head. Tote: 7.90. 2.10. 1.20. DF: 2.60.

3.20 (1m 4f Roberts) 4-1, Unfuwain 2-1 fav, Tony Bin' a-z. 3, io ran A stewarl) 2. n. Tote: 5.50, 2, 1.50. 1.50.

DF: 6,90, CSF: 3.55 (61) AKID (R Hlils) "11-10 fav First Secretary 3-1. 2: Methano 16-1. 3: 6 ran (Thomson Jones) 6. 11, Tote: 2.50. 1.40.

1.70, EOF: 2.60, CSF: .4.25 (1m 21 H'cap) AZAYIM (M Roberts) 8-1, 1: Bay Window 9-2. tham 12-1, 11 ran Armstrong) Hilar oi riro 4-1 lav. lj, z. Tote: 9, 2.60. 1.50.

4.30. DF: 19. CSF: 40.62. Tricast: 392.93. 4.55 (1m H'cap) KINGSFOLD FLAME (R Fox) 8-1, Barclay Street 25-1.

Single 7-1, 14 ran (M Haynes) neck, short head, Sadapour 7-2 fav, 3.50, 13.20. 2.60, DF: 291.30, CSF: 181.68, Tricast: jacxpoi: tiu.in.io NEWCASTLE 2.15 (71) ON THE PROWL (O Nlcholls) 7-z lav, 1. Welsh column 12-1, 2. Reg gle Boy 6-1, 3. 12 ran (M Easterby) 61, 41, TOte: 4.40.

1.80, 2.90. 1.1 DF: 33.00. CSF: 43.72. 2.45 (51) ALMOST BLUE (J Carroll) 11-8 fav, 1, Fulham Trader 6-1. 2.

John Milton 7-2. 3. 5 ran (J Berry) 111 2jl, Tote: 2.20. 1.20, 2.70. DF: 4.90.

CSF: 8.46. Nr: Royal Clover. 3.15 (51 H'cap) DUCK FLIGHT (Q Bardweil) 7-2, 1, silks Ventura 7-4 fav, 2. Cumbrian Waltzer 25-1, 3. 9 ran (J D-Home) il.

11. Tole: 4.00. 1.50, 1.20, 2.80. DF: 5.00. CSF: 9.89, Tri cast: 119.70.

N'rs: Mere Melody, Loch Form. 3.45 (2m) ANDORRA (K Fallon) 2-1 jt-fav, 1, Military Honour 2-1 jt-fav. Lily Mab 9-4, 3. 5 ran (J Fitzgerald) 31. 21.

Tole: 3.10, 1.40. 1.30, DF: 3.60, CSF: 5.94. N'rs: Aydimour, Glint Of Pearl. 4.15 Om H'cap) K-BRIGADE (Dean McKeown) 16-1, 1, Sunday Sport Boy 6-5 lav. 2.

Little Douglas 7-2, 3. 6 ran (C Elsey) 11. 1jl Tote: 15.30, 4.30. 1.40. DF: 11.70.

CSF: 33.31. 4.45 (1m 11) SUNDAY SPORT STAR (G Bardweil) 6-1. 1, Smart Performer 4-5 fav, 2, Caoran Mona 7 ran (P Kelleway) )l. 51, Tote: 6.00. 2.10.

1J0. OF: 3.90, CSF: 10.60. Nr: Off The Record. 5.15 (1m 21 H.cap) BARNABY BENZ (M Birch) 8-1, Lucky West 5-1. 2, Sally Thomas 3-1 fav.

10 ran (M Easterby) 1), 1J, Tote: 6.40, 2.30. 1.90. 1.40 DF: 20.10 CSF: 41.05, Tricast: 116.84.Placepot: 8.50. Nr: Ivoroski. Withdrawn Candy.s Sister (12-1), deduct 5p in the pound.

AYR 2.30 (1m 21 H'cap) MAILMAN (Clare Balding) 154 fav, 1, Sharon's Royale 5-1, 2. New Mexico 1 1-1, 3. 8 ran (I Balding) nk. 2JI. Tote: 2.10.

1.10. 1.10. 3.80. DF: 2.60. CSF: 10.0.

Tricast: 55.10. 3.00 (1m H'cap) LINPAC NORTH MOOR (L Charnock) 9-2 co-lav, 1, Alto-belll 14-1, 2, Miss Emily 9-2 co-lav. 3. 8 ran. 9-2 co-lav Good Point, (C Elsey) hd, 2JI, Tote: 5.60, 1.90.

3.30, 1.50. CF: 45.60. CSF: 53.31. Tricast: 268.95. 3.30 (1m) JUNGLE GOLD (N Connor-ton) 1-2 lav, 1, What Speed Steppey Lane 8-1.

3. 3 ran (J Watts) il. 1jl. Tote: 1.40. DF: 1.30.

CSF: 1.94. 4.0 (71) SPECIAL FRED (G Carter) 4-1, 1, Easy Over 2-1, 2. Miami Bear 14-1, 3. 7 ran. 13-8 fav Junuh.

(P Kelleway) 2l. 21I. Tote: 4.40. 1.80. 1.80, DF: 3.90, CSF: 11.62.

4.30 (1m 51 H'cap) PATHERO (M Richardson) 7-4 fav, 1, Run High 4-1. 2. Ralkisslmo 10-1. 3. 6 ran (N Bycrolt) il.

II. Tole: 2.60. 1.50. 1.80. DF: 3.00.

CSF: 8.21. Nr: Mayroni. 5.0(61 H'cap) DONOVAN ROSE (G Carter) 7-2, 1, Golden Chariot 6-1, 2, Pelham Place 13-2, 3. 7 ran. 11-4 fav Brolherlon Castle.

(J Berrv) 71. 1(1. Tole: 3.40, 2.00, 3.20. DF: 9.70, CSF: 20.65. Placepot: 32.10.

LINGFIELD 5.45: Super Morning 7-1, 1, Buzzards Son 33-1. 2, Vaigly Perceptive 16-1. 3. 6.15: Prince Of The Glen 11-2, 1, Petril-lia 6-4 fav, 2. Sure Sailing 11-2, 3.

6.45: Dolly Bevan 6-1, 1, Quiet Bay 11-2, 2, The Tansey Man 15-2, 3. 7.15 Lesbet 20-1. Look Lively 7-2, Mother Courage 9-2. 7.45 Tilt Tech Fiver 33-1, 1: Pinclada 2-1 lav. Al- Torfan 14-1.

3. 8.15 Greenhlll Jazz Time 5-1. 1: No Beating Hearts 7-2 tdav. Surely Great 10-1. Royal Bear 8.45 Firelight Fiesta 9-1, Plausible 12-1.

Picovus 8-1. 3. WARWICK 6.15: Like Amber 9-2, 1, Lady Of The Lodge 15-2. 2, Fanshaw Goldberg 7-2 co-lav, 3. 6.45: Rockarla 8-1, 1, Bor- kaan 6-1.

2. Champagne Dancer 33-1. 3. 7.15 Moonlight Princess 5-1. 1: Ivor- doll 8-1.

2: El Castillo 3-1 lav 7.45 Tyrnippy 3-1, Crosby 15-8 lav. Anna May Wong 8-1. 3. 8.15 Awkas evens lav, Vision Gris 6-1. 2: Cot Lane 100-1.

3: 8.45 Spring Forward 8-1. 1: Vision ol Wonder 4-1 lav. 2: Glo Noble 25-1 PEDRO DETfiAnn imposed himself still further on the 75th Tour de France, stretching his lead over Holland's Steven Rnnks fn mnre than seven minutes at the end of yesterday's penultimate stage. Today he should complete the most dominant Tour victory since the hpvHov nf P- 4W nard Hinault a display of virtuosity not even the drugs imbroglio of the last week can entirely cloud. Every day since taking the yellow jersey Delgado has imDosed hlS Slinerinritir a Kfrtlo f- further on his rivals, staging a ouwicaaiuii ui creates tnat extended his lead and sapped their will to resist.

Time trials disciplines, but Delgado again Droved himself the moots. That he didn't actually win was irrelevant. He finished well ahead of everyone who matters. The 0 uvi vaiiv uii the hottest day of the Tour bv an unconsidered upmiiaiU) Juan Martinez-Oliver. More man two nours behind Del- use of the comparatively wide open spaces at Hockenheim to attempt an overtaking move early on.

With the McLarens away with the race, the main battle is likely to be in the non-turbo division, the JBeriettons. of Alessandro and Thierry Boutsen fighting it out with Mansell's Williams-Judd and the March team of Ivan Capelli and Mauricio Gugelmin. It will take a repeat of Sil-verstone's atrocious weather to give Mansell any opportunity of repeating his second place in the British Grand Prix. Otherwise, if the high temperatures continue, a McLaren victory will be a foregone conclusion and the rest may as well spend the afternoon by the swimming pool. mi i MARTIN PALMER at Hilversum and Britain's David Williams and Ian Mosey are all in contention on 207.

Parry, runner up to compatriot Greg' Norman in the Italian Open, missed the cut in the British Open but returned to form with four birdies in the first five holes yesterday. Neil Coles, veteran of the European circuit at 53, moved up to within a stroke of the lead in the third round of the Volvo Seniors British Open championship at Turnberry yesterday, shooting a one-under-par 69, writes Donald Stewart. Winner of this event last year by a stroke from New Zealander Bob Charles, Coles simply had to keep out of trouble to strengthen his challenge for the title. He started the day four shots behind South African Gary Player and two adrift of former US Open champion Billy Casper, but both of these players dropped shots over the closing stretch and had to settle for rounds of 72, which left Player leading the field by just one shot and court that the message had oeen aosoroea. The Austrians attarkerl every ball, cheered every point and behaved as if victory meant something to them.

The listless British looked like victims of some debilitating mountain sickness. Perhaps it was part of his motivational package but Jacques was unwise to accuse the Austrians of gamesmanship and dubious tactics before a ball had been hit. Friday's singles matches were never close enough for anything like. that to be necessary. Muster, insist the Austrians, is well behaved, if intense.

As for Skoff, they shrug and smile: Well, he's a comedian rather than a games-man. With the top half of his hair dyed the colour of a ripe cornfield and sporting a pair of excessively baggy shorts, Skoff certainly looked a bit comical, but Bates found his thunder touched trance in the early Moasfleir on flop as Jacques gives 'emm Zefll hours of Thursday just four days and 20 hours after plunging into the water at Fort Augustus. After negotiating Loch" Ness in llhr 9min he took llhr 48min for the slightly longer dip in Loch Lomond before crossing the Channel in llhr 35min. The hardest part, he said, was the drive from Scotland to Folkestone. MOTOR CYCLING: Frenchman Christian Sarron was fastest in practice for the French SOOcc Grand Prix at Le Castellet on Saturday, clocking lmin S8.1sec, almost a second faster than world champion Wayne Gardner, of Australia, to whom he was second in Yugoslavia last week.

Seoul target ATHI FTirS- son, Commonwealth gold and European bronze medallist, ran ucr seasun iasiest luum hurdles in 13 riser in the Women's AAA heptathlon championship at Stoke, and after three events was well on the way to selection and an Olympic qualifying standard of nnr puiius. ONE thing you have to say ior ine British Davis Cup team, thev certainlv came tn a pretty place to stage their iaiesi aeoacie. it there is a more beautiful mountain resort in Eurnne than 7c.u Am See your correspondent nasn i run across it. The cood hnrohprs nr 7oit LfVIl coughed up 25,000 for the pnvuege ot staging this European Zone final but did not aonear undulv HkmrKoH the British players' inability to give vaiue ior money. After all, the right team won.

Austria are nromnterl intn the 16-nation World Group for the first time and for those wishing to indulge in evtra celebrations there was a beer festival roaring away on the cobbled streets. leremv Bates anrf AnH Castle managed to keep the customers irom their stems for the best part of three hours yesterday before submitting JACQUES was involved in an unsavoury scene at the press conference afterwards. Asked by an Austrian journalist about his reported comments on Austrian gamesmanship, the British team captain first claimed he was misquoted. When the questioner persisted Jacques suggested: 'We could go outside and continue this discussion. Your team have just won.

You should be celebrating. What do you want, blood? If you want blood I will give you Alan Hubbard.