Recession bites deeper as another sponsor pulls plug Reports

NEWS ROUND-UP:THE RECESSION has claimed another racing victim with yesterday's announcement that Boylesports have dropped their sponsorship of the Irish Guineas festival.

After six years of sponsoring both of the opening Irish classic races, the bookmaking firm has decided to pull the plug, leaving the Curragh searching for new sponsors.

"The way things are, it is hardly a shock unfortunately. Every sponsor is under pressure and even bookmakers it seems are not recession proof. It's a big sponsorship and they clearly couldn't justify it any more," said the Curragh spokesman, Evan Arkwright.

"We've already done some groundwork on finding a replacement and although it is early days, we have already had one very serious enquiry," he added.

Yesterday's news comes on the back of last month's confirmation that William Hill have pulled out of sponsoring the Galway Plate at the Ballybrit festival.

The bookmaking firm blamed the current economic conditions in Ireland for their decision.

A Boylesports spokesman said: "Due to a change in our strategic marketing plan for 2010 and beyond, we have made a decision not to renew the contract. We will continue to look at opportunities in horse racing."

John Oxx's weekend focus will primarily be on Sea The Stars in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but the Curragh trainer also has the option of running his Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Rayeni in Sunday's Group Three Coolmore Concorde Stakes at Tipperary.

Rayeni is one of 19 left in the seven-furlong event at yesterday's forfeit stage and could attempt to improve on his comeback effort at the Curragh when running fourth to Border Patrol.

Sunday's jumping highlight at Tipperary will be the Grade Two Friends Of Tipperary Hurdle which is a possible kick-off point to the season for Noel Meade's Cheltenham festival winner Go Native.

The Supreme winner is among 13 still in the race, along with the Aintree specialist Al Eile and Edward O'Grady's Grade one winner Jumbo Rio.

Champion jockey Pat Smullen's determination to defend his title against Johnny Murtagh's challenge takes him to Sligo today where he teams up with an interesting Dermot Weld-trained runner in the 10 furlong maiden.

Barrel Of Fun hasn't been seen since April when he started favourite for a Leopardstown maiden won by Stately Home.

If he's anywhere near the level the Weld team expected him to be at that day, then he will be hard to beat in this company.

Weld has a Juddmonte newcomer in the opener but he's badly drawn in one and Xtraxtra's experience may be a better option.