RACING NEWS:THE DERMOT Weld-Pat Smullen team are on the trail of this afternoon's Chester Cup with Majestic Concorde, but Address Unknown could well be their unknown quantity at Leopardstown on Sunday in what Weld describes as "the best Classic trial in Europe".
Address Unknown is one of just seven entries left in the Group Two Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial after yesterday’s forfeit stage, but victory for any of them will put them on an exclusive roll of honour.
Champions of the calibre of Sinndar (2000), Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Alamshar (2003), Yeats (2004) and Dylan Thomas (2006) have won the €100,000 highlight, while Fame And Glory was a sixth victory for Aidan O’Brien last year.
The Ballydoyle trainer has three of the seven left in Sunday’s race, and although the unbeaten Cape Blanco is one of them, O’Brien has already indicated that Midas Touch and At First Sight are likely starters.
Weld last won the mile-and-a- quarter event with the subsequent Group One winner Casual Conquest in 2008. This time he will rely on Address Unknown, who was only fifth in last month’s Ballysax Stakes over the same course and distance, but only after appearing unlucky not to secure a clear run in the closing stages.
“Address Unknown definitely runs in the Derrinstown and he is a progressive colt,” Weld said. “We will know more after the race because it is an outstanding trial, the best Classic trial in Europe.”
It could be a busy Leopardstown afternoon for Weld and Juddmonte Farms, who also own the Group Three 1,000 Guineas Trial candidate Emulous and the star older horse Famous Name, who figures among 10 entries for the Group Three Amethyst Stakes on the same card.
“The present plan is to run Famous Name in the Amethyst, but the ground might be a factor with him. We will have to see,” the Curragh trainer added. “We will make a decision about Emulous later in the week.”
The going at Leopardstown was officially “firm” yesterday.
Jim Bolger has two entries in the Derrinstown, with Sunday’s Gowran winner Reiteration joined by the regally-bred Shintoh, who won a maiden at Cork last October.
At First Sight was narrowly beaten by the Bolger-trained Puncher Clynch in the Ballysax Stakes, but he is set to fly the Ballydoyle flag alongside the Galileo colt Midas Touch, who won a Curragh maiden by seven lengths last October.
Before that, O’Brien’s focus will be on Chester today where he runs High Chaparral’s full-sister, Dance On By, in the Cheshire Oaks, a Listed event before the main event, the Chester Cup, which sees Majestic Concorde break from stall one in the two-mile marathon.
Weld has high hopes for Majestic Concorde, though being absent since running in a chase at Sligo last October is an issue.
“He likes to come up fresh and we’ve very happy with him. He has a good draw and we’re quite hopeful,” he said.
HAYDOCK ENTRIES
PRINCE OF FIRE is an 8 to 1 market leader in some ante-post lists for Saturday’s Grade Three Swinton Hurdle at Haydock, but trainer Charlie Swan indicated yesterday the JP McManus-owned horse is an unlikely starter.
The prestige pot was last won by an Irish-trained runner when Macs Joy was successful in 2004, and his trainer, Jessica Harrington, has a possible runner this weekend in Zarinava.
Sabrina Harty’s Cooper’s Quest is another Irish entry, but Swan reported yesterday: “Prince Of Fire probably won’t run. It’s the end of the season and we might be better off putting him away rather than risking him on fast ground.”
