Misu Bond can thrill

Just four line up for this evening's Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown and it looks like the English hope Misu Bond can overcome the local challenge in the Group Three feature.

Champion jockey Pat Smullen teams up with the Bryan Smart-trained colt, who hasn't run since finishing fifth at odds of 66 to 1 behind George Washington in the 2,000 Guineas.

Before that the colt had landed the Free Handicap at Newmarket in April, and that overall level of form makes him a worthy foe for the two older horses, Lord Admiral and Tiger Dance, as well as the other three-year-old, An Tadh.

The younger generation have won out in the Ballycorus for four of the last five years but Smart's concern yesterday was about the possibility of fast ground.

"He has gone on good to firm but he is by Danehill Dancer and they like a bit of juice in the ground. But they promise me there's no jar in the ground at Leopardstown and they've watered well," he said.

"He ran a smashing race in the Guineas and he looks really well. There is a possibility he might run at Royal Ascot next week. He'll be entered for the Jersey and he's in the Golden Jubilee too," Smart added.

Kieren Fallon will be on board Tiger Dance, a full-brother to Giant's Causeway, but his best chance of the night should be another Ballydoyle hope, Magicalmysterytour, who can land his maiden at the third time of asking.

A lot of money went down the pan with the short head by which Rockall Blizzard beat the well -bred O'Brien colt at the Curragh last month but it can be recouped in the mile-and-a-half maiden.

Miss Beatrix is in a similar position in the opening fillies maiden, Kevin Prendergast's speedy sort being upped to seven furlongs after two defeats at five.

The last of them was at Tipperary last week in what could turn out to have been a hot event, and if Chanting doesn't appear this evening then Miss Beatrix should be hard to beat.

Mark Prescott sends the well -bred Kiswahili for the last and even though she hasn't run since finishing last at Cagnes Sur Mer in February her form is hard to argue with in this context.

A Turf Club hearing will be held at the track today as jockey Colm O'Donoghue appeals against a four-day ban he picked up at Tramore 11 days ago.

Officials at racing's regulatory body are, however, also looking ahead to Monday, when a legal hearing into prospective costs for a proposed High Court case could yet signal the go-ahead for the 100-million Curragh racecourse redevelopment.

The Friends of the Curragh Environment Ltd are looking for a judicial review of An Bord Pleanála's method of granting planning permission to the Turf Club for the building of a new hotel and road at the racecourse.

The environment group want their costs covered, however, and a decision on that matter could be reached on Monday.

Work on a new road at the back of the racecourse, which is vital to the entire project, was originally supposed to begin on April 1st but nothing has happened at the site.

A total of 13 fillies remain in the Group Three Kerry Group Noblesse Stakes, which will be run in Cork on Sunday.

At yesterday's forfeit stage, Prescott left in both Intrigued and Kiswahili, who runs in the last at Leopardstown tonight.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has paid tribute to some of Ireland's top National Hunt personalties and presented awards to the connections of the big-race winners Brave Inca, Newmill, War Of Attrition and Numbersixvalverde.

"Thanks to the structures and funding created by the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, we now have a secure base for the industry," Ahern said at a reception to mark another record-breaking jumps season in 2005-2006.

"We no longer export our best horses or people. They now stay at home providing employment and thrilling the Irish public with their sporting exploits at home and abroad."