AIDAN O’BRIEN is looking forward to quick ground conditions for his filly Perfect Truth as the champion trainer attempts to again win today’s Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks at Chester, writes Brian O’Connor.

Perfect Truth is joined by John Oxx’s Roses For The Lady in the Listed event, and ground conditions look like being suitable for both.

“She ran a very good race at Dundalk last time and good fast ground is what she wants,” O’Brien, who won the race last year with Sail, said yesterday.

Roses For The Lady narrowly won her maiden at Leopardstown last time out, and Oxx said yesterday: “There is usually some comfort in the ground at Chester so the going should suit her there.”

Horse Racing Ireland have announced Johnny Murtagh as their first “flat ambassador”.

Murtagh will be involved in various promotional efforts through the flat racing season, including bringing racing to social network sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Bebo.

“I love going to work every day, it’s a great industry and I want to spread the word and enthusiasm for racing,” the jockey said. “I’d really like to encourage more families and young people to come racing.”

Asked if there was one thing he would change in Irish racing, Murtagh replied: “I would reduce our dependence on Government hand-outs. It’s such a big industry, we should be self-funded.”

Mourayan goes in Derrinstown trial

JOHN OXX, who is already in possession of the Derby favourite Sea The Stars, will attempt to add a second string to his Epsom bow at Leopardstown on Sunday with Mourayan.

Generally judged to be an unlucky loser to Fame And Glory in last month’s Ballysax Stakes at the Dublin track, Mourayan will again face Aidan O’Brien’s apparent number one Derby hope in the Group Two Derrinstown Derby Trial.

The two colts dominate a 12-strong entry left in at yesterday’s forfeit stage, and, although half of those are based in Ballydoyle, there will be even more attention on what could be a vintage team of three-year-olds at Oxx’s Curragh yard on the back of Sea The Stars’ 2,000 Guineas victory.

“Sea The Stars is fine and the plan is to run in the Derby,” Oxx said yesterday. “Epsom has also been the objective with Mourayan, provided he shaped up well in the Ballysax and the Derrinstown.

“If he hadn’t met interference in the Ballysax we think he might have won or been involved in a photo, so we will see now how he shapes up on Sunday. He has sharpened up nicely for that run, and although he is not a spectacular worker at home he does seem to have come on.”

Mourayan is a general 16 to 1 shot for Epsom, but Oxx’s previous blue-riband winner, Sinndar, met the only defeat of his career in the Ballysax before landing the Derrinstown on-route to the Derby.

The Aga Khan-owned colt has a length and a head to make up on Fame And Glory and Ballysax runner-up Fergus McIver, who has been beaten since, and Oxx isn’t under-estimating Mourayan’s task this weekend.

“You would have to be impressed by Fame And Glory. He conceded a Group One penalty, and 5lb is 5lb. He will have sharpened up as well for that and looks to have a favourite’s chance,” the trainer said.

“But there may not be much between them again and we will all be wiser after the race.”

Fame And Glory has to concede 3lb to his rivals this time and will again be accompanied by some stable companions, with the likes of Hail Caesar and Liszt also entries, along with Black Bear Island, who is a possible Italian Derby contender.

Aidan O’Brien reported yesterday: “The plan is for Fame And Glory to run and we may run one or two others in the race as well.”

There is one British-trained possible for the Derrinstown, the Criterium-International winner Zafisio, but he also holds an entry in Sunday’s French 2,000 Guineas at Longchamp, a race O’Brien is targeting too.

Certainly Johnny Murtagh looks like being in Paris rather than Leopardstown, as he is set to team up with Westphalia in the Poule D’Essai des Poulains for which 14 horses remained yesterday.

“At the moment Westphalia is going to France and I would imagine Johnny would go there,” said O’Brien, who has also left in Born To Be King and Coat Of Arms.

Jim Bolger has left both Intense Focus and Monday’s Tetrarch Stakes winner Vocalised in the 2,000 at Longchamp, and the pair of Oh Goodness Me and Blas Ceoil in the fillies equivalent, the Poule D’Essai des Pouliches, a race being targeted by both Fantasia and last year’s Boussac heroine Proportional.

Back at Leopardstown, 18 fillies remain entered in the Group Three Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial on Sunday, including Dermot Weld’s Firey Red, who missed out on Monday’s Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh due to being in season.

The Co Down based amateur jockey James Smyth was fined €500 and ordered to pay €250 costs at a Turf Club hearing yesterday after testing positive for cannabis at Leopardstown on Hennessy Gold Cup day on February 15th.