WHILE everyone else has been enjoying the Indian summer we have been experiencing this past week, Fascinating Rock’s trainer Dermot Weld and his owners, the Regan family from Listowel have been praying for rain for their homebred colt who was in readiness for a defence of his Quipco British Champion Stakes crown at Ascot today before retiring to stud.

Weld was due to go over and walk the track yesterday to see whether the forecast showers had any impact on the ground but both parties are resigned to the fact that he will be an unlikely runner. In contrast to last year, when it rained for a week in the run-up to the race, the weather has been very much against Fascinating Rock this season.