RACING/ News and Preview: One Cool Cat may be the centre of Aidan O'Brien's attention at home on Sunday but his Group One focus will also take in France and the US on the same day.
The Ballydoyle trainer confirmed he plans to run the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Yesterday in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp while the two-year-old Tumblebrutus is on course to run in New York later that night.
"The plan is to run Yesterday in France. She was a little bit stiff after running in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh but she is fine now. We could also run the two-year-old filly Tu Es Mi Amore in a Group Three (Prix d'Aumale) the same day," O'Brien said yesterday.
It will be Yesterday's first trip to France since running sixth to her old rival Six Perfections in the Prix Marcel Boussac last October.
Tumblebrutus, a full brother to Giant's Causeway, is already in America and will take on Grade One company in Belmont Park's Futurity Stakes on dirt. Edgar Prado has been booked for the mount.
Prado rode both Hold That Tiger and Carpanetto at Belmont last weekend and was successful for O'Brien on Landseer at Lexington last autumn.
Powerscourt will be the Ballydoyle hope in Saturday's Irish Field St Leger and conditions look like changing to suit both him and the other market leader Vinnie Roe.
The going at the Curragh yesterday was described as "good all round" and manager Paul Hensey added: "It is perfect ground on the round and the straight courses."
Bollin Eric will represent the Tim Easterby yard in the Leger and the Yorkshire trainer also intends running Fayr Jag in the Group Three Ridgewood Pearl Stakes. Other likely cross-channel raiders for the six-furlong race are Amanda Perrett's Polar Way and Avonbridge from the Roger Charlton stable.
A last-minute call will be made this morning on whether the veteran John Dunlop-trained horse Millenary will have another crack at the Leger.
Dunlop's spokesman, Marcus Hosgood, said: "We know we have to declare in the morning but we will leave a decision until late."
Millenary ran second to Vinnie Roe in the 2001 Leger but was a disappointment when only fifth in the race last year.
Vinnie Roe, seeking a historic third Leger success in a row, remains favourite with Paddy Power at 2 to 1 but the three-year-old Powerscourt is rated his biggest danger in the ante-post betting.
IRISH ST LEGER BETTING: (Paddy Power): 2-1 Vinnie Roe, 9-4 Powerscourt, 11-4 Bollin Eric, 11-2 Millenary, 9 Gamut, 20 Rayshan, 33 Queens Wharf.
Michael Kinane and Aidan O'Brien can team up for a pair of likely two-year-old winners at Tipperary this evening.
Mikado is a Sadler's Wells newcomer in the nine furlong race but Cornwall brings the experience of a third to Venturi at the Curragh to the seven furlong maiden.
The most famous equine name on view, however, will be the Grand National winner Montys Pass who takes in the 2½-mile novice hurdle for trainer Jimmy Mangan.
Johnny Murtagh will fancy his chances on Vintage Port in the 1½-mile maiden despite that horse being an expensive failure at Tralee but the former champion jockey also looks a significant booking for Debona in the sprint handicap. The Rogers runner drops back in trip from a mile and some of her form behind Dimitrova and Dossier reads pretty well in this company.
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