O'Brien eyes Ascot raid

Jockey arrangements for Aidan O'Brien's powerful team at Royal Ascot next week have yet to be finalised, but Ireland's champion trainer looks like he could have up to half a dozen prospects in line for the top juvenile prizes.

O'Brien outlined possible running arrangements for his two-year-old squad with the impressive, seven-length Gowran winner Henrythenavigator set to take his chance in the Coventry Stakes.

Henrythenavigator is already prominent in betting for next year's 2,000 Guineas, and he may be joined in next week's six furlong event by another Ballydoyle contender, South Dakota.

The Group Three winner You'resothrilling, a full sister to Giant's Causeway, is also likely to run over six furlongs in the Albany Stakes, while last week's Tipperary scorer, The Bogberry, will run over seven in the Chesham Stakes.

Other O'Brien contenders are Warsaw in the Norfolk Stakes and Achilles Of Troy in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

Along with star older horses like Dylan Thomas (Prince Of Wales's Stakes), George Washington (Queen Anne Stakes) and Yeats (Gold Cup), they make up a strong raiding party, although who will be on board them is still to be decided.

Monday's London High Court decision to turn down Kieren Fallon's appeal to have corruption charges against him dropped means the jockey is still not available to ride in Britain.

This weekend's highlight in Ireland will be the Group Three Kerry Group Noblesse Stakes at Cork, which features the highly regarded Uimhir A Haon among its 20-strong entry.

The Montjeu filly, who races in the Finsceal Beo colours of Michael Ryan, was regarded as a potential Oaks filly in the spring but has yet to race this season. She is one of three Ballydoyle possibles for the mile and a half event.

Meanwhile, Modeeroch looks to have conditions in her favour at Leopardstown tonight where the Jim Bolger-trained filly can finally secure an elusive Group race success in the featured Ballycorus Stakes.

A field of 10 runners line up for the €70,000 Group Three, including the English raider Vanderlin whose official 112 rating puts him in to this with a big chance.

The champion apprentice Chris Hayes will team up with Andrew Balding's veteran, a Grade Two winner in Canada in 2005, but he could end up having to play second fiddle to the champion jockey Declan McDonogh, who steps in for the suspended Kevin Manning on board Modeeroch.

It's somewhat surprising that a filly capable of running fourth in the Cheveley Park as a juvenile is still knocking on the Group race door, but she has hardly been idle and already has three Listed race victories to her credit.

Significantly, two of them have come here at Leopardstown over this evening's trip and on similar ground conditions. Modeeroch was run out of it by Cheyenne Star on her last start at the Curragh over a mile, where once again the eighth furlong looked to stretch her stamina too far.

Before that she was beaten in the Athasi by Eastern Appeal after looking to lead for plenty long enough. She is 3lb better off with her old rival this time, however, and McDonogh's timing is rarely off around here.

Absolutelyfabulous is one of five rides for Fallon this evening and, ahead of next week's Royal Ascot extravaganza, the Ballydoyle team will be looking for a boost to their juvenile team in the opening two races.

The Danehill Dancer filly Savethisdanceforme has some choicely bred opposition in the first, including daughters of the Ribblesadle winner Irresistible Jewel (Mad About You) and a Moylgare winner Mail The Desert (Crimson Dawn), but should still be a major player.