Ouija Board on course for Oaks double

RACING/News and preview:  The Ouija Board team are taking nothing for granted ahead of Sunday's Darley Irish Oaks despite the thinning out of some of the star filly's opposition.

With the John Dunlop-trained Rave Reviews more likely to take up an engagement at Newmarket at the weekend, and the Ribblesdale runner-up Sahool missing out, Ouija Board remains a red-hot favourite to complete the Epsom-Curragh Oaks double.

However, her trainer Ed Dunlop said yesterday: "I think the second and third at Epsom (All Too Beautiful and Punctilious) will be better suited to the Curragh so you could see a different result and we are definitely not counting our chickens." He added: "All Too Beautiful is very inexperienced and should improve.

Punctilious came out and won the Ribblesdale so I fear both and John Oxx's (Hazarista) won a Group race and no one knows a lot about her yet."

Nevertheless Ouija Board remains a 4 to 6 favourite with Paddy Power to become the first in five years to do the Oaks double. The Lord Derby-owned star has seven lengths in hand of All Too Beautiful on Epsom running and Dunlop admits a repeat of that will leave Ouija Board hard to beat.

"She is odds on for Sunday and if she reproduces that Epsom form she would be expected to win, he said."

The track manager Paul Hensey reported that 4.5 mms of rain fell overnight and that no further watering is likely to take place before racing.

"We have had further rain today and I would expect that we have finished watering," said Hensey who walked the course with clerk of the course Joe Collins.

Tonight's feature at Kilbeggan is the 50,000 Midlands National where Ruby Walsh can successfully team up with the Noel Meade-trained Thari.

With Paul Carberry still on the sidelines, Walsh teamed up with Thari at Tipperary last week and the partnership were staying on notably well behind Danaeve over this evening's distance.

The opposition now includes the 2002 winner Keeponthesunnyside as well as Star Performance who was 25 lengths too good for Alpha Rhythm at Tipperary last time. But Thari and Walsh should still make their presence felt.

Jessica Harrington is another who can make an impact. The trainer has the Bellewstown runner-up Mount Prospect in the second maiden hurdle while Persue A Head, fourth to Lorna's Star at Fairyhouse, looks the one in the bumper.

At Killarney yesterday Michael Grassick's Spring Opera put plenty of grass between herself and 11 rivals when running out the clear-cut winner of the Dawn Omega Milk Maiden.

Ridden by Niall McCullagh, the daughter of Sadler's Wells eased to the front early in the straight, eventually winning by eight lengths from Pharoah Prince. Spring Opera had reached the frame on each of her four starts and Grassick later commented "she found the ground very testing but deserved her win. I have no immediate plans for her but we might try to gain some blacktype at some stage."

McCullagh later completed a double when steering Buddy Man to an easy win in the second division of the mile handicap. Buddy Man made no friends with the bookies and was returned the well backed 2 to 1 favourite, following up a win at Sligo last Sunday.

The bookmaking firm Boylesports, who sponsor both the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, have said they are "reviewing the situation" following Tuesday's announcement that Paddy Power are to sponsor RTÉ's live racing coverage.

Paddy Power have agreed a six-figure deal to sponsor the 35 days of racing shown on RTÉ beginning with Sunday's Darley Irish Oaks meeting at the Curragh.

However, there is some concern that the new deal could annoy some existing sponsors, particularly some of Paddy Power's rivals in the betting industry.

Boylesports sponsored both the Guineas classics at the Curragh for the first time this year with the superstar filly Attraction coming out on top in the 1,000. Both classic races were covered by RTÉ.

A spokesperson for Boylesports said yesterday: "This is a new announcement and we will have to examine it. We will be reviewing the situation and looking at the impact it may have on any of our sponsorships."