Good news for Oxx as Sandown keep taps turned off

RACING NEWS:UNDERFOOT CONDITIONS remained unchanged as good to firm, good in places at Sandown yesterday afternoon.

Despite the recent heatwave across Britain, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper elected not to water the track due to the prospect of rain before today’s meeting and tomorrow’s Coral-Eclipse card.

Cooper said: “The Eclipse course we are going to leave as good to firm, good in places. We have left it alone watering-wise today because there is a risk of rain around in the next 24 hours.”

That’s good news for Curragh trainer John Oxx, who was forced to withdraw Sea The Stars from last weekend’s Irish Derby because of a late deluge at the Co Kildare track last Friday night.

A final field of 10 is set to go to post for the Group One race, which is headed by Oxx’s Stanjames.com 2,000 Guineas and Investec Derby winner.

Rip Van Winkle, fourth behind Sea The Stars at Epsom, will bid to turn the form around in the 10-furlong event.

And Jimmy Fortune can hardly wait to get the leg up on the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt.

Fortune has come in for the ride on the Galileo colt with Ballydoyle stable jockey Johnny Murtagh on the sidelines due to suspension.

The three-year-old has so far finished fourth in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and in the Derby at Epsom, both of which were won by Sea The Stars.

Fortune admits Oxx’s charge is the one to beat again at the weekend but he has certainly not given up hope of turning the form around.

“He’s a very nice horse and for Johnny to ride him in the Derby, he has obviously being doing everything right at home so I’m very happy to get the ride,” Fortune told At The Races.

“To win a Guineas and then go on and win a Derby, Sea The Stars is obviously a high-class horse and he’s the one we’ll all have to beat.

“Conduit is also a solid horse who has been there in these Group One races and done it. He handles the track and he is going to be there.

“The trip could be ideal for us as he travelled well in the Derby and there were stamina doubts going in there, so you would have thought this was his trip.

“I’ll speak to Aidan and see what he wants me to do and obviously I’ll speak to Johnny and find out everything I can about the horse. Hopefully we’ll get it right on the day. We haven’t got that much to find with Sea The Stars, it’s going to be a great race and I’m looking forward to it.”

Joining Rip Van Winkle from Ballydoyle are Malibu Bay and Set Sail, while St Leger and Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Conduit spearheads the older generation, with stable companion Lang Shining also taking his chance.

Henry Cecil’s Twice Over, Cima De Triomphe, Steele Tango and Jukebox Jury complete the stellar line-up. Mike De Kock’s Archipenko was not declared after suffering a swollen fetlock.

Tazeez, Monitor Closely and Westphalia were the other withdrawals at the final declaration stage, meaning the sponsors have decided to cut Sea The Stars to 4 to 6 from 4 to 5 for the historic contest.

Coral spokesman Simon Clare feels he could be even shorter come post time. “We are absolutely thrilled at the stellar line-up for our race but the betting public only has eyes, and cash, for one horse, Sea The Stars,” said Clare.

Sariska may end up taking on the cream of Europe in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October should she complete an Oaks treble with victory at the Curragh and York during the peak of the summer. The filly provided Michael Bell with his second Classic success when narrowly denying Midday in the Investec Oaks at Epsom, and the pair will again do battle in the Darley-sponsored Irish equivalent on Sunday week.