RACING: Curragh preview:Kieren Fallon is a significant visitor to the opening evening of the Curragh Derby weekend where he is scheduled to ride Carrizo Creek in the valuable Goffs Challenge.
No doubt the eagle-eyed will also be looking for any contact between the champion jockey and Aidan O'Brien after a British newspaper report speculated yesterday that Fallon was about to take over from Michael Kinane at the O'Brien yard.
The report was quickly dismissed by those connected with the Ballydoyle camp and significantly, Fallon did not back up the story either.
His agent, Dave Pollington, said yesterday: "It is all news to me and it is all news to Kieren."
In fact, the most productive way of reading Fallon's Irish trip might be to row in with Carrizo Creek's chances in the big race as not even the possibility of picking up a spare ride in the Derby appears likely to dissuade him from serving a one-day suspension on Sunday.
Typically, there is a large cross-channel presence for the Challenge, which is worth €76,700 to the winner, and hopes of a local win don't look to have been boosted by the likes of Kinane and Murtagh arranging rides from visiting trainers.
Kinane is on Danesmead, whose trainer, Tim Easterby, won with Bally Pride in 1999, while Murtagh is on John Gosden's Newbury winner Gwaihir.
The latter has just a short head in hand of Carrizo Creek on previous form and the Meehan-trained horse has also won since. A decent draw in four will help his chances and Fallon's presence is an obvious plus.
The first derby of the weekend is the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Derby which demands a pretty good horse like the subsequent Brigadier Gerard winner Sights On Gold who won it last year.
John Oxx runs three in the race, including the 97-rated Chartres, the mount of Catherine Gannon who rode the filly to her first success here in March 2002. Chartres clearly goes well fresh and is preferred to Euro Pleasure.
Kirov King was unsuited by the going when fourth on his only start of the season back in April and should be much more at home on the surface in the 10 furlong maiden.
Wednesday's Leopardstown winner Irish Stream goes for a hat-trick in the 10 furlong handicap but on both previous starts the Dessie Hughes runner received vintage Michael Kinane rides.
Tara's Gift has won four of her last five and seems able to keep pulling out that little bit extra. That could be enough to win again.
Kinane himself should waste no time hitting the score sheet as he rides the Danehill newcomer Ace in the first and should know exactly where he stands with the Oxx hope Memorandum on Leopardstown form with Follow.
As he proved again at Leopardstown during the week, Kinane is lethal on outside rides and he looks a good booking for Huxley who won the mile handicap last year when trained by Charles O'Brien.
