Education for apprentices

Michael Kinane and Pat Smullen could be reduced to the role of pacemakers on Saturday when they will lead a collection of apprentice jockeys in a special race up the Curragh.

Fifteen entries have been made for a seven-furlong "simulated" race which will take place after racing to try to further the education of some young riders.

Kinane, Smullen and Niall McCullagh will provide a lead in a contest confined to 10lb claiming apprentices who have not ridden a winner. The senior jockeys will lead to the furlong pole when it will be everyone for themselves.

Similar races are run in France, but this will be the first time in Ireland and is part of the recommendations from the recent Safety Review Group.

The Curragh ground is currently "yielding" with little change expected ahead of Saturday when the feature is the Group Two Galileo Futurity.

"We had 9½mm of rain overnight, not as much as fell on the east coast," said Curragh manager Paul Hensey yesterday.

There are 22 entries left in the Futurity with Mark Johnston, who has won the race three times, yet to decide between Leo's Lucky Star or Melrose Avenue, who also hold entries in the Solario Stakes.

Jim Bolger plans to run the unbeaten Railway Stakes winner Democratic Deficit, while Aidan O'Brien has eight of the 22 to pick from, including the course and distance winner Carnegie Hall.

There is Stakes action at Tipperary tonight where the highlight is the Listed Fairy Bridge Stakes. The Stamullen-based trainer Peter Casey has had a season to remember, with Palace Star McDonogh's win at Galway the highlight.

Fearn Royal was last in that, but the ground was too firm, and going by her second to Cache Creek at Leopardstown is worth a shout in this.

Former Senator has 10.3 on his back in the mile and a half race, but the trip could be vital to the three-year-old Napoleon, who was coming back at Muntami over nine furlongs at Gowran last time.