Sport

Galway winner Rock Critic flies flag for Weld in Desmond Stakes

RACING: DERMOT WELD relies on Rock Critic, who switches back to the level after winning over hurdles at Galway, in the Desmond…

Thu Aug 16 2012 - 01:00

RACING:DERMOT WELD relies on Rock Critic, who switches back to the level after winning over hurdles at Galway, in the Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown this evening.

The seven-year-old had been beaten on the Flat at Ballybrit earlier in the week but returned to form with an 11-length romp over obstacles, earning Supreme Novices’ Hurdle quotes.

“He’s a fun horse and we might get a bit of value out of him,” said Stan Cosgrove, racing manager to owners Moyglare Stud.

“He ran on the Flat first at Galway then won over hurdles. He loves jumping hurdles and might pick up plenty of money. He might be a Cheltenham horse one day.

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“He’s got a few years left in him and he’s a sound horse. He doesn’t like going in the stalls very much, but he seems all right with them now. He’s a big horse and when he was a yearling we had to build something special for him.”

Aidan O’Brien runs Listed winner Requisition while British raider Penitent shoulders top weight for trainer David O’Meara.

John Oxx will leave it late before deciding whether Native Khan will take his chance.

The four-year-old will be having just his third start for Oxx if he does line up in the Group Three contest over a mile, having been trained by Ed Dunlop previously.

Third in the Derby for Dunlop last year, Native Khan disappointed on his final start of 2011 in the Irish Derby and was then off the track for over year.

The Azamour colt then reappeared for Oxx and finished third behind Famous Name in a Curragh Group Three before filling the same position behind the same horse at Leopardstown last time.

Oxx is eager for Native Khan to take his chance but any further rain could scupper those plans.

“He won’t run if the ground turns soft but we will have a look in the morning or maybe even tomorrow afternoon and make a decision from there,” he said yesterday. Oxx is also represented by Takar, a comfortable Group Three winner at the Curragh. Oxx expects the David Wachman-trained Duntle to put up plenty of resistance. “Duntle was a nice winner at Ascot and has a slightly higher rating than us and will be getting 6lb, so she could be the one to beat.” Wachman also has another runner, Aloof, in the expected 11-strong field.