Martin's Cesarewitch raid

Irish Raider Barba Papa is as short as 7-1 favourite with Coral for the Cesarewitch following yesterday's publication of the weights for the Newmarket handicap.

Irish Raider Barba Papa is as short as 7-1 favourite with Coral for the Cesarewitch following yesterday's publication of the weights for the Newmarket handicap.

Trainer Tony Martin's six-year-old has been set to carry 8st 7lb in the 18-furlong event on 14 October.

Barba Papa won the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting on his only start of the Flat season so far and was a fast-finishing third in the Galway Handicap Hurdle last time.

Martin said: "The plan is to run and, at the moment, I'm happy with him. But I think it's a bit much to make him favourite - he's gone up in the weights and it's two furlongs shorter than Ascot."

The Gerard Butler-trained Ski Run, who gave Frankie Dettori an uncomfortable ride at York when his saddle slipped in the Lonsdale Stakes, heads the weights on 9st 10lb.

Also among a total of 75 entries in the £120,000 contest are Mark Johnston's Spirit Of Love (9st 9lb) and Etterby Park (7st 12lb), who came first and second in the 1998 renewal.

Last year's winner Top Cees has been retired after sustaining an injury in the Chester Cup, but Dominant Duchess (8st 12lb), Heros Fatal (7st 13lb) and Eastwell Hall (8st), who filled the minor placings in 1999, have been entered again.

Irish entries include Dermot Weld's pair Hirapour (9st 1lb) and Chester Cup second Ansar (8st 7lb), and the Willie Mullins-trained Tryphaena (7st 8lb).

CESAREWITCH (Newmarket, Oct 14):

Coral: 7-1 Barba Papa, 10-1 Dominant Duchess, Heros Fatal, Silent Warning, 16-1 Mana D'Argent, Ski Run, Fantasy Hill, 20-1 others.

William Hill: 10-1 Barba Papa, 12-1 Dominant Duchess, Heros Fatal, 16-1 Ansar, Bangalore, Eastwell Hall, Fantasy Hill, Ravenswood, Seliana, Silent Warning, Ski Run, Temple Way, 20-1 others.

Ladbrokes: 10-1 Barba Papa, 12-1 Dominant Duchess, Heros Fatal, 14-1 Fantasy Hill, 16-1 Ansar, Seliana, Spirit Of Love, Tryphaena, 20-1 others.

Tote: 12-1 Barba Papa, 14-1 Ansar, Dominant Duchess, Silent Warning, 16-1 Bangalore, Eastwell Hall, Fantasy Hill, Heros Fatal, Mana D'Argent, Seliana, Ski Run, Tensile, Turnpole, 20-1 others.