RACING/News and previews: The Melbourne Cup hero, Media Puzzle, may make his long-awaited return in Leopardstown's Ballyroan Stakes in eight days time.
Trainer Dermot Weld also has his double Irish Leger winner, Vinnie Roe, in the Listed contest and said yesterday: "One or the other will probably run on Sunday week."
Vinnie Roe was a half-length winner of the race last year but fast ground could see the return of Media Puzzle who had to return from a trip to Dubai in the spring after picking up an injury. Neither horse has raced since Flemington in November.
Weld also confirmed that his 2,000 Guineas hero Refuse To Bend is on course to reappear in the Desmond Stakes on the same Leopardstown card or in Deauville's Prix Jacques Le Marois.
The Curragh trainer sends one of his lesser lights, Kirov King, to Downpatrick today for the mile and a half maiden but this one's 84 rating may not stop Corporate Express from coming out on top.
The Michael Halford runner was a fast finishing second on his only start to date and had the Galway winner High Priestess back in third. The extra quarter mile should also help.
Another bet on the northern card looks to be in the bumper where Tony Mullins gives Theme Song a second start. This one started favourite at the Punchestown Festival in the race won by Blazing Liss and looks the answer to the Wexford runner-up Stitch Pockets.
Mighty Minnow found the well handicapped Sophiyah too much at Sligo on Thursday but may be compensated in the 13-furlong handicap, while Red Venus, a winner at Naas and Laytown this summer, could be good enough to go in in the mares maiden hurdle.
A number of top jump names will be crossing codes to the flat at Cork tomorrow, including Ruby Walsh who rides the topweight Kid Creole in the five-furlong sprint.
The winner, however, may come at the other end of the handicap where Jamie Moriarty claims off Back In Twenty.
Barry Geraghty should be on the mark on the classy Mutakarrim in the conditions hurdle and could also have got himself on the winner of the handicap hurdle.
Jones's Road has had just five runs but was noted running on well in the closing stages behind Jaguar Claw at Galway. The extra quarter mile tomorrow looks to be ideal for the JP McManus owned runner.
Newmarket trainer David Loder raced past the half-century mark (53) for the year with a five-timer yesterday made up of three winners at Wolverhampton (Amandus, White Hawk and Sharp Breeze) in the afternoon and a double at Newmarket (Sutter's Fort and Bonecrusher) last night.
