Twice Over fails to get luck of draw in Dubai World Cup

Last year's Champion Stakes hero has been off the track since finishing third behind Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic last November but had been occupying top spot in the World Cup ante-post lists.

Coral clearly feel his wide berth is a hindrance to his challenge and have pushed him out to 11-2 from 5-1 and promoted French raider Vision D'Etat (stall six) to 4-1 favourite from 9-2.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Twice Over's owner Khalid Abdullah, said: "I suppose racing people always worry about the weather and the draw, but we can't do anything about either."

The draw was seemingly more kind to Marco Botti's recent Lingfield winner Gitano Hernando, who will break from stall two in the hands of six-times champion jockey Kieren Fallon.

Brian Meehan saddles Crowded House, who has filled the runner-up spot twice since arriving in Dubai and has drawn stall nine for Saturday's main event.

Meanwhile, Ayr will this afternoon host its last action before next month's Coral Scottish Grand National Festival, when the course stages its Victor Chandler Raceday.

Noble Alan, winner of the Samsung Electronics Scottish Champion Hurdle at the track last year, is back to run in the 2.40. The Nicky Richards-trained seven-year-old won as he liked at Hexham a week ago when left alone to finish the race. The gelding has four rivals this afternoon, but should be too good for all of them.

Officials at Chepstow will stage a precautionary inspection at 7am ahead of today's meeting due to the threat of further rain. Conditions at the Welsh venue are already described as heavy and clerk of the course Keith Ottesen has decided to call an early check to be on the safe side.

He said: "There has been a change in the forecast and we could get quite a bit more rain tonight."