Ground should favour Timote

Pat Smullen and Dermot Weld may have had to endure finishing last with Muakaad in yesterday's French Derby, but the Curragh partnership can bounce back to Group-winning form, courtesy of Timote in the Bank Holiday featured Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown.

The likelihood of cut in the ground is emphasised by the flat races scheduled for Tralee tomorrow being abandoned already, but soft conditions should not be a problem for Timote, whose career-best came after all on a bog in the Prix de l'Abbaye.

Two runs at Cork and the Curragh this season have been less than inspiring but she may have needed them. She has blinkers back on and Timote has a good course and distance run behind Tedburrow already to her credit.

David Nicholls and Alex Greaves won this with Proud Native last year and there were six British winners of this Group Three sprint in the 1990s. Nicholls runs two this time, including Goodwood' King George Stakes winner, Rudi's Pet, who pulled ligaments when sent to run in Dubai in the spring.

Rudi's Pet likes good going and maybe Nicholls's other runner, Pepperdine, is a better option, but Timote is selected to bounce back to form and give Weld his first Ballyogan winner since the brilliant Committed in 1985.

Weld and Smullen are also taken to land the 12-furlong maiden with Zagreb's half brother, Sage Dancer, who should have come on for a debut fourth behind Dutch Harrier.

Aidan O'Brien runs three in the listed Rochestown Stakes, with Michael Kinane taking the mount on the expensive Fairy King colt, Beckett, and the newcomer can cope with Mick Channon's Salisbury winner, Pan Jammer; while Kinane can also be on the mark with the Fairyhouse winner, Impulsif, in the seven-furlong handicap.

Down south at Tralee's alljumping fixture the most eyecatching runner looks to be Ride The Tide in the mares' maiden hurdle. Her second to the smart Copernicus at Gowran reads pretty well; while John Joe Walsh's Thurles winner Kilbyrne King has a light weight in the handicap chase.