Smullen to record double

The struggle for the jockeys' title marches on to Clonmel today, but despite the all-out effort, the bookies maintain Pat Smullen is all but certain to retain his crown.

Smullen's total of 80 winners puts him just three ahead of John Murtagh, with Mick Kinane lurking in behind on 75, but Cashmans still have the current champion at 1 to 2 favourite to win out.

Murtagh, whose challenge depends on winning his appeal against a two-day ban at the Turf Club tomorrow, is 11 to 4 second favourite and Kinane is the outsider on 7 to 2.

However, that hasn't stopped Kinane joining his colleagues for a less than high-profile fixture where there are five Flat races to be fought over.

Kinane rides in four but the other two jockeys are fully booked, and it could be the day when Smullen proves the bookies right with a possibly decisive double.

The luckless Ballerine is his ride in the mile and a half maiden, where Aidan O'Brien saddles the 97-rated Sadler's Wells colt, Leopard Spot, for Kinane.

Leopard Spot looked anything but a 97 when only seventh to Triple Try at Leopardstown on Saturday, and although Ballerine has a tendency to find one to beat her, in this contest she should hold a first-rate chance.

Smullen also rides the topweight, Cera Sifayra, in the second division of the 0-50 handicap, and this one's weekend third to Slightly Swift is a reassuring piece of recent form.

Murtagh looks to hold the key to the mile and a quarter maiden with the Mark Of Esteem newcomer, Zafayana.

Le Coudray, the former Aidan O'Brien-trained hurdler who is now with Christy Roche, could make an appearance over fences in Sunday's Irish Field Chase at Punchestown.

His old rival Limestone Lad is scheduled to appear in Saturday's Lismullen Hurdle at Navan, a race that is also a possible target for Commanche Court and Catch Ball.