Moran sets sights on Sandown

RACING:JOCKEY RORY Cleary helped engineer a Group Three victory for the "little guy" at the Curragh six days ago and will hope to do the same for Sligo trainer Niall Moran who tackles today's Solario Stakes at Sandown with Dont Bother Me.

The might of Godolphin, as well as runners from the Richard Hannon and Mick Channon yards, is up against the Irish hope in the seven-furlong event which over the years has thrown up top-class horses such as Raven’s Pass and Oh So Sharp.

Dont Bother Me won his maiden at the third time of asking at Leopardstown last month and Moran’s determination to avoid some of Aidan O’Brien’s blue-bloods at home means he is sending the son of Dark Angel across-channel. “I’ve looked at this race down the years and it’s a good test. He has a Group One entry later on so we thought we’d go there first and seven furlongs at Sandown is a great track,” said Moran who trains in Strandhill.

“I’ve had this in the back of my mind for some time now. He won his maiden well and he’s a progressive sort,” he added yesterday. “It’s a big ask for a two-year-old to travel but we’ll give it a go.”

Cleary showed such an adventurous policy can work for west-of-Ireland trainers at the Curragh last weekend when My Girl Anna sprang a 10 to 1 surprise in the Flying Five, beating Coolmore’s Fire Lily, for Ballinasloe-based Muredach Kelly.  Cleary will take on fellow-Irishman Richard Hughes, who is on the Richmond Stakes runner-up Master Of War, as well as Godolphin’s Royal Ascot winner Tha’ir.

Last year’s renewal of the amateur flat race at Killarney threw up a subsequent Group race star in Galileo’s Choice and the most interesting contender at the Kerry track this time round looks to be the 90-rated Drive Time.

The July course winner was subsequently a big fancy for the Galway Hurdle but fell early, a mishap that put Ruby Walsh on the injury sidelines.

Joseph O’Brien’s pursuit of the jockeys championship can get another boost in the €20,000 Nursery with the topweight Count Of Limonade. The Roscommon winner cut little ice when dropped back to six furlongs in the Anglesey Stakes but now that he’s up to a mile plus, his proven ability on testing ground can give him a decisive edge.

Pat Smullen is O’Brien’s nearest challenger and can hit back with Tandem in the opener while Oneeightofamile is an interesting ride for the former champ on his first run in over a year. Smullen moves to Dundalk tomorrow and can maintain his own championship momentum on the all-weather courtesy of Polly Ella. Harry Rogers’s six-year-old scored over 10 furlongs at the track on Monday, as did her stable companion Calm Bay who might be up to defying a 9lb penalty in the opener.

Leitir Mor will try to make it ninth time lucky in the six-furlong maiden and a 102 rating, plus a CV that includes a Phoenix Stakes second, theoretically makes Jim Bolger’s juvenile very hard to oppose. It’s worth remembering, though, the Phoenix third Lottie Dod failed to break her maiden here recently and while the step back to six furlongs should suit Leitir Mor, the cross-channel raider Polish Crown looks a danger. PJ Prendergast’s filly Nandiga faces a less stiffer test in the juvenile conditions than what she faced in a Group Two event at the Curragh last time.