NEWS ROUND-UP: THE LEOPARDSTOWN authorities could end up having to tread a delicate path over ground conditions ahead of the much-anticipated Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes clash between Sea The Stars and Fame And Glory in two weeks' time.
The Sea The Stars camp have consistently stated they will not run the world’s highest-rated racehorse on soft ground and yesterday Aidan O’Brien said that the going at Leopardstown will have to be “safe” in order for Fame And Glory to run.
“Everywhere is very soft at the moment but anything is possible and Fame And Glory will only run at Leopardstown if the ground there is safe,” the champion trainer said yesterday. “We are not going to take any chances with this horse.”
Fame And Glory is currently a 4 to 1 favourite for October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but in match betting with Sea The Stars for Leopardstown he is a 6 to 4 shot against the horse who beat him at Epsom who is a 4 to 7 favourite.
O’Brien has also given Mastercraftsman a clean bill of health after his valiant attempt to beat Sea The Stars in York’s Juddmonte International on Tuesday and indicated the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November could be a long-term target for the colt.
“He’s fine after it but it will be a few days before we decide on what to do with him next. The Classic is very much a possible though,” he said.
The recent spell of bad weather, however, continues to impact on racing in Ireland with tomorrow’s scheduled card at Ballinrobe called off yesterday morning and Tuesday’s Sligo programme already under threat.
There will be an 8am inspection at Sligo on Monday. The track was heavy but raceable yesterday but officials are concerned about a poor weather forecast.
Ballinrobe was cancelled due to waterlogging and a Turf Club official reported: “There was no way they could have raced so there was no point fooling around. It was simply unraceable.”
Thursday’s cancelled meeting at Killarney will now be held next Wednesday.
Horse Racing Ireland yesterday reported a number of changes to the National Hunt pattern with the most significant step being the promotion of the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Hennessy day (February 7th, 2010) to Grade One status.
On the back of the move the Durkan Hurdle on St Stephen’s Day has been demoted from Grade One to Grade Two. The Skymas Chase at Down Royal on November 7th will be a Grade Two this year while two mares chases at Clonmel (November 12th) and Cork (December 13th) will be Grade Three’s.
Tomorrow’s feature at Cork is the €23,000 JP McManus Hurdle for which eight line up and if getting a strong early pace the topweight Raise Your Heart can secure compensation for a fine effort in the Galway Hurdle. Barry Geraghty’s mount ran a fine race at Ballybrit under a huge weight and didn’t deserve to be so badly hampered at the final flight.
Moonreach ran a fine debut at Leopardstown behind Beethoven and should improve for the experience enough to land the juvenile maiden.
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