Racing:Connections of Profound Beauty are praying for better conditions than 12 months ago for the Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh tomorrow.
The mare, trained by Dermot Weld, could not handle the soft ground last year and trailed in fourth behind Alandi, but she is reported to be in tip-top shape following her latest success at Leopardstown.
She is having a second crack at the Classic ahead of her arduous trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup.
“She’ll run provided it doesn’t come up too soft. She ran last year and it was a bog,” said Stan Cosgrove, racing manager for owners the Moyglare Stud. “She’s in smashing form and cantered up this morning. If we get the ground for her, she’ll have a great chance.”
Aidan O’Brien is expecting a big run from his first string, Flying Cross.
The lightly-raced colt made a late start to the campaign with a promising victory at Tipperary two weeks ago.
“We gave him plenty of time. He won his maiden very easily at Navan and has a super pedigree but you try not to go with them all at the same time — you can leave some of them alone for later,” said the Ballydoyle trainer.
“We always had the Legers in mind and it was great to get a run into him. The Tipperary race came along, he ran there and won nicely. Everything we have asked him to do, he has done nicely.”