Late show expected to attract big crowd

RACING: Leopardstown's experimental fixture goes ahead this evening with the 5.15 start expected to add as many as 2,000 to the attendance.

The track officials were busy putting the finishing touches to the programme yesterday and are hopeful that the novel Saturday kick-off, and the appearance of the band "Picture House" after racing, will boost business.

"We have had a late start at this one, but we have managed a lot of publicity and we would expect a crowd of up to 5,500. Last year's attendance, when it was an afternoon meeting, was 3,700," said a Leopardstown spokesperson yesterday.

Such an increase would be good news to Horse Racing Ireland who have stood by the switch to an evening start despite the threat of the trainers association not to enter horses for the meeting.

However the HRI will give trainers €65 for each stable staff member. The stable staff are looking for €150 extra to work the late hours.

The HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh yesterday rejected suggestions that the paying of "appearance money" set a dangerous precedent and said: "It is recognition of the difficulties a lot of people have with this."

Kavanagh added: "Leopardstown have succeeded in attracting a new type of racegoer on their Wednesday evening meetings and they want to try it on Saturdays too.

"For our part, we want to try to put on meetings that will best suit people wanting to go racing. This will help us to decide if Saturday evening racing has a future. It is a new departure, but it has worked well on certain tracks in the UK."

The late start does allow Pat Smullen to ride in two races at Limerick before travelling to the capital for a very promising book of rides for Dermot Weld.

Smullen's main commitment will be on the Moyglare runner-up Dress To Thrill who makes a belated first start of the season in the Listed Brownstown Stakes.

Weld has made no secret of his regard for the Tyros winning filly although her Listed win does mean having to concede 4lbs to the Irish Guineas fourth Alstemeria.

The Ballydoyle filly ran second last to Sophisticat in the Coronation Stakes on her first encounter with fast ground.

However she looked a much more effective operator on the soft and the forecast "good to yielding" going should be ideal for her.

Smullen should still have a good day as he continues his chase of Michael Kinane in the jockeys championship.

Perfect Touch ran second to the Brownstown contender La Pieta on her debut and the Miswaki filly should go one better in the seven furlong maiden.

Aidan O'Brien looks set to dominate today's Eclipse, but he will be comparatively under-strength for next week's July meeting at Newmarket.

The Ballydoyle trainer confirmed yesterday that Rock Of Gibralter will miss Thursday's July Cup and he will have only one two-year-old runner at the meeting.

"We probably won't have much for Newmarket. We might run a two-year-old in the Listed race on Thursday, but I'm not sure who it will be. We will decide who might run in the July Cup closer to the time," O'Brien said.

One colt who will not run in the six furlong championship, however, is Rock Of Gibralter who could wait instead for Goodwood's Sussex Stakes over a mile.

"It was never the plan to run him in the July Cup. The race was just one of a number of options," added O'Brien.

Smullen's weekend won't end at Limerick and Leopardstown Along with John Murtagh, Smullen will travel to Hamburg tomorrow for the German Derby.

Smullen is booked to ride Sergeant Pepper for Hans Blume while Murtagh is on the outsider Ammonias, one of four in the race trained by Peter Schiergen.

No foreign trained runner has won the German Derby and it is left to Godolphin's Queens Vase winner Mamool (Frankie Dettori) to try and change that.

Smullen's best chance of a Limerick winner looks to be in the opener with Rahn, a colt that was mixing it with classic types early in the season.

He also rides Count Altanne in the seven-furlong handicap, but that looks a more likely chance for Pat Shanahan on Clew Bay.

Roscommon plan to race on Monday and Tuesday, but they are already in trouble with the weather. The track was unraceable yesterday and there will be an inspection at 9.00 tomorrow morning to see if there can be racing on Monday.