Leopardstown hope for rugby knock-on

RACING: The Leopardstown authorities are hoping that tomorrow's big rugby international will impact on the size of the crowd at their first flat fixture of the season.,writes Brian O'Connor, Racing Correspondent.

An advertisement for the races in last weekend's match programme for the England-Scotland game at Twickenham followed extensive advertising direct to the English rugby clubs.

"Basically any rugby club we could find we canvassed and we have had a lot of enquiries back. I don't know if that will translate into figures but we are trying to take advantage of the big match," said Leopardstown's racing manager, Tom Burke, yesterday.

"There will be a lot of people in Dublin from Friday night on and they might be at a loose end on Saturday," he added.

One name that will strike a chord with the new racegoers will be Michael Kinane, and the champion jockey looks the man to follow.

He teams up with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Black Sam Bellamy in the Listed Alleged Stakes and the full brother to the double Derby winner Galileo should be able to concede weight all round.

Black Sam Bellamy has the weight for his Group 1 success at the San Siro in Milan last back end and although today's race is a quarter mile less, the colt should outclass last weekend's Lincoln winner, Livadiya, and the John Oxx first string, Bowmore.

Kinane should also be on the mark in the opener with Catcher In The Rye, who has been impressing on the Ballydoyle gallops in recent weeks. And Kinane also looks a significant booking for Bob What in the Oakfield Handicap.

With Pat Smullen suspended, Dermot Weld has handed the ride on Dimitrova in the fillies' maiden to Pat Shanahan and that looks a winning hand for the former Derby-winning jockey.

The Block Monster ran a blinder over five furlongs at the Curragh last Sunday but is back over a more suitable trip in the Pinewood Handicap, while New Currency, fourth in the Listed Zetland last autumn, should be hard to beat in the Maple Handicap.

Up north at Down Royal, Dessie Hughes and Kieran Kelly could be in double form with Dermore in the first division of the two-mile maiden hurdle and Tipp Top in the first part of the two-and-a-half-mile maiden.