Oxx still concerned about 'slow' ground on Curragh straight

WATERING IS set to continue at the Curragh this week despite John Oxx’s concerns that ground conditions could yet rule out the odds-on favourite Sea The Stars from Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

The local trainer walked the track yesterday and said it would have been a “borderline” decision whether or not he would have run Sea The Stars on what he found.

“Today would have been borderline as I thought the straight was on the slow side – maybe we would have been a little concerned,” he said before indicating a final decision on Sea The Stars’ participation may not be made until Sunday itself. “We will make a decision whether or not to declare him and even then we would have to watch the weather,” Oxx added.

“There is no rush to decide and we could even make a final decision on the day.”

The two-time Irish Derby winning trainer is adamant that Sea The Stars is best on fast conditions and his analysis of conditions yesterday is markedly different from the official ground description at the Curragh of “good to firm”.

The track manager Paul Hensey said last evening that watering on the straight course will continue today with the round course being watered tomorrow.

“The sun is shining and it is 25 degrees here. It is good to firm ground and what else can we do in such circumstances but water,” he said.

“John is probably right when he says the straight course is more good than firm. That is always the way with the straight course compared to the round where it is always just a little bit quicker.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion but from our end, we are happy it is good to firm,” Hensey added.

Sea The Stars worked well yesterday in preparation for Sunday’s Classic but the weather continues to worry his trainer.

“It is very warm but also very humid and there isn’t much wind so the course isn’t drying out very quickly,” Oxx warned.