Casamento warm favourite

CASAMENTO IS a warm favourite to land Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster which could provide a perfect Group One gloss to Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to have horses in training in Ireland again.

At the end of last season the Sheikh moved to send two yearlings each to six different trainers in Ireland and that has paid off in style with a number of high-profile victories in 2010.

Casamento’s Beresford Stakes victory last month has been the highlight so far but he is a general 2 to 1 favourite to justify a €20,000 supplementary entry into Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy and provide Michael Halford with a career-first Group One.

The Sheikh’s famous old maroon and white colours have also been carried to success by the David Marnane-trained Fred Archer this season and there could be more big-race success for them this coming Bank Holiday Monday. Seville is a 5 to 1 third favourite to give Aidan O’Brien a sixth Racing Post success at the weekend and if that colt does win then it will generate extra interest in an appearance by Dubai Prince in Monday’s Group Three JRA Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown.

Dubai Prince made a winning debut for the Sheikh and Dermot Weld at Gowran a month ago, where Seville was a length back in second with another subsequent winner Obligation in third.

The son of Shamardal is one of 15 entries remaining in the Killavullan after yesterday’s forfeit stage and Dubai Prince could yet attempt to win a race that Weld famously won with Grey Swallow seven years ago. “He will probably work later in the week and then a decision will be taken,” Weld’s son, Kris, said yesterday.

Aidan O’Brien has won the Killavullan eight times, including with the subsequent Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand in 2004, and he has five entries in the seven-furlong event, headed by last weekend’s Naas winner Ruling.

Ground conditions at Leopardstown yesterday were “good to firm” and apart from rain on Friday night, the long-term forecast is mainly dry.

A total of 22 entries remain in the Listed Trigo Stakes and the 117-rated Famous Name stands out for a possible comeback after a failed Grade One attempt in Canada last month.

Mouse Morris aims to give his promising young chaser Venalmar a run in a Beginners Chase at Galway on Monday but he is also thinking of a cross-channel trip to Wetherby for his in-form runner China Rock. Morris has a good record at the Yorkshire track and is eyeing the Charlie Hall Chase for China Rock who has won a Grade Two and Three already this season. “He couldn’t be in better form and we couldn’t be happier with him,” he said.