Racing/News round-up: A memorable 2005 flat season winds up at Leopardstown tomorrow with Aidan O'Brien attempting to tie a statistical ribbon on to what has already been a very successful year, writes Brian O'Connor, Racing Correspondent
With a prize-money total of €640,955 already in the bag,O'Brien is almost €2 million clear of his major Irish rivals, Dermot Weld and John Oxx, in the trainers' money table. O'Brien and Oxx are both only two behind Weld's tally of 64 winners in Ireland this year.
O'Brien is triple handed in the opening two-year-old maiden and also has a pair of runners in the Listed Eyrefield Stakes, including the likely favourite Mountain, so Weld could end up feeling some unseasonal heat coming up behind him.
For the third time in his career, Pat Smullen will be crowned champion jockey with a total of 67 winners going into tomorrow. He is nine ahead of the injured Fran Berry who is in turn only one ahead of Kieren Fallon.
However a prize-money total of €3,894,365 shows the dramatic impact Fallon has had in his first year riding as Ballydoyle's number one jockey, a fact reinforced by three classic wins in Britain and a first Irish Derby success on Hurricane Run.
Chris Hayes will be crowned champion apprentice with 38 winners already, six ahead of Rory Cleary, while Mrs John Magnier will again be crowned the leading owner with prize-money of close on €3 million. Despite the success of three O'Brien horses in British classics and Azamour's midsummer dominance in the King George, just one home classic, Saoire's 1,000 Guineas, was kept in Ireland in 2005.
However, the year will also be remembered as the one when Ireland's first proposed all-weather track at Dundalk was finally given the green light by Horse Racing Ireland. It is due to open in early 2007.
The going at Leopardstown tomorrow will be heavy and the track's racing manager Tom Burke reported yesterday: "We will monitor the situation but we are hopeful we will be okay. There are showers forecast for Saturday night but if the forecast is correct I don't think we will need to inspect." That will be good news for Golden Cross who can emphasise his liking for Leopardstown yet again with victory in the November Handicap.
It's two years since Golden Cross became the longest priced Grade One scorer in Irish racing history by winning the Festival Hurdle here at odds of 66 to 1.
Michael Halford's horse also won on the flat at Leopardstown in 2002 and ran fourth in the following year's November Handicap. He comes to this year's renewal on the back of a win at the Curragh and considering he will thrive on the testing conditions he doesn't look badly handicapped on 89.
Another course specialist is Hard Rock City who should relish the step up in trip from his last start and can secure a fourth course and distance win of the year in the Listed Knockaire Stakes.
Feathard Lady maintained her unbeaten record with victory in the €30,000 Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal yesterday.
The Colm Murphy-trained mare travelled sweetly for Ruby Walsh in the two-mile event and took command after jumping the last a stride in front of Sky's The Limit. The daughter of Accordion won by four lengths.
Noel Meade's seven-year-old Afistfullofdollars looks to have a bright future after opening his account over fences at the first time of asking in the JWJ Porter & Co Beginners Chase. He had eight lengths to spare over Macs Flamingo at the line.
