Motivator's trainer Michael Bell will travel to Leopardstown next week to have a vital inspection of the track ahead of Saturday week's Baileys Irish Champion Stakes.Connections of the Epsom Derby winner are anxious to avoid fast ground for Motivator who lost his unbeaten record to Oratorio on quick conditions in the Eclipse at Sandown in July.
"If there is any firm in the ground description, then he is unlikely to run," was the blunt message yesterday from Harry Herbert, the spokesman for the Royal Ascot Racing Club who own Motivator.
The ground at the Dublin course was yesterday described as "good to firm" and a long range weather forecast into next week indicates a dry spell.
Bell is likely to travel to Leopardstown on Wednesday to see for himself what conditions are like and the course authorities haven't ruled watering the track early next week if there is no significant rainfall.
If Motivator does line up, with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, he will have another Michael Bell trained horse, the four-year-old Temple Place, in place to make sure of a good pace in the €1 million Group One feature which looks like providing a small, but high-quality field.
The plans were outlined at a press launch for the Leopardstown race yesterday where it was also revealed that Motivator is playing second fiddle to Azamour in the ante-post betting.
Paddy Power have installed John Oxx's King George hero as a 10 to 11 favourite to become the first double winner of the Champion Stakes.
Michael Kinane won his sixth Champion Stakes on Azamour last year, but his absence through injury means that the top French-based jockey Christophe Soumillon will now be on board the favourite.
Soumillion has never ridden at Leopardstown before but will pick up some important experience of the course before the big race.
"He will walk the course and have a number of rides before the Champion Stakes," said Pat Downes, the Irish representative of the Aga Khan.
Those rides are likely to include the return of Alayan in the Listed Kiltiernan Stakes. Alayan - who had been aimed at both the French and Irish Derbys - hasn't been seen since being beaten by a short head by Fracas in the Derrisntown Derby Trial in May.
Motivator's Eclipse conqueror Oratorio looks like being the big hope for the race from the Aidan O'Brien stable with Powerscourt more likely to got to the USA on the same day for the Man O'War Stakes at Belmont Park in New York.
"We are aiming Oratorio at Leopardstown and we're hoping he will be fit enough. He has three more pieces of work to do and if they go well he will run," said O'Brien yesterday.
It is still uncertain whether Alexander Goldrun will take part in the Champion Stakes or instead go in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes on the same day.
Attraction will definitely try and go one better than her second to Soviet Song in last year's Matron while the 1,000 Guineas winner Virginia Waters is a possible runner from Ballydoyle.
The Group One action this coming weekend will be in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh which is set to attract the unbeaten 1,000 Guineas favourite Flashy Wings as well as Aidan O'Brien's Rumplestiltskin.
Cashmans opened match betting between the two and make Flashy Wings a 4 to 6 favourite to overcome her rival (11 to 10.)
The unique Laytown experience has come round again and this afternoon's session on the sand includes a number of names more associated with the winter jumping game.
Fable usually faces two and a half miles worth of fences, but today goes in the seven furlong claimer while Charyan is a very interesting runner in the seven-furlong maiden.
Christy Roche once described the mare as the best bumper horse he had since Like-AButterfly, but in a couple of hurdles starts her jumping has let her down badly. Max Scal sets a 69 standard in this, but faced with no obstacles Charyan could be one to check out.
Belle Child is a stone and a half higher in the ratings for the opener than when winning at Bellewstown. A good win at Tralee has come in between and the streak may not be over yet.
BETTING: Paddy Power: 10-11 Azamour, 5-2 Motivator, 5 Oratorio, 7 Grey Swallow and Powerscourt, 14 Norse Dancer, 20 Alexander Goldrun. Cashmans: 5-4 Azamour, 2 Motivator, 9-2 Grey Swallow, 10 Oratorio, 16 Powerscourt, 25 Norse Dancer.
Aidan O'Brien's colt Mullins Bay continued his progress with a narrow but decisive success in the William Hill Poker Grand Prix Strensall Stakes at York yesterday. The four-year-old scored a neck verdict over the Godolphin front-runner Andean.
After travelling strongly for most of the way, Mullins Bay moved up to challenge over two furlongs out and the Irish raider got the lead inside the last furlong, but drifted to his right, carrying his rival towards the stand rail. The stewards announced an inquiry into possible interference but they deemed the incident accidental and allowed the result to stand.
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