WHILE the Aga Khan is anxious to run Timarida in Saturday's Group One Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, trainer John, Oxx is less keen to risk her on firm ground for her initial run of the season. A decision may be made today or he may wait until Friday - "but my gut feeling is that she will not run," Oxx said yesterday.
The ground at Newbury is currently good to firm - which is firm by our standards - and is being watered. "She has won on fast ground, but her preference is for yielding going. It is a long year ahead and if she doesn't run she will go for the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on Sunday week."
The 10 furlongs of this Group One £50,000 race is Timarida's maximum distance. "She won the EP Taylor Stakes over the distance in Canada last year, though it was not a great gallop," said Oxx, who worked Timarida after racing at Leopardstown last Saturday.
The filly is in good form and her handler modestly attributes her tremendous progress last campaign to her "terrific constitution. She is real tough and has trained on really well."
Timarida did not run at two years but won seven of her eight races last year.
Killarney's four-day spring meeting concludes today with the accent on National Hunt racing. The Seamus Weldon Handicap Hurdle looks a good opportunity for Home Port, who finished strongly to run Myro Balanne to two-and-a-half lengths in a mile handicap having lost his place at the bottom turn.
Castalino, an easy winner of a novice chase here on Sunday after Brook Hill Lady blundered badly at the 10th, can carry her penalty to success in the Smurfit Corrugated Cases Handicap Chase at the expense of Rossbeigh Creek.
The River Rock Ladies Race may be won by the Jim Bolger-trained Premier Project, successful in a maiden at Limerick. DivaIi, runner-up to Elegant Lord and ahead of easy Gowran Park winner Credit Transfer at Punchestown, can go one better in the Laurels Hunters Chase.
Father Michael, a beaten favourite at Thurles, may recover losses in the Michael Lynch Plant Hire Flat Race.
