Racing/ Leopardstown preview: The words relaxing and weekend won't exactly apply to Michael Kinane and Pat Smullen for the next 48 hours.

Already in Chicago for tonight's Arlington Million meeting, both jockeys face a transatlantic dash to be back in time for Leopardstown tomorrow.

Tonight the riders have two bookings each. Both ride in the Grade One Secretariat Stakes, which is due off at midnight our time, with Kinane on the Aidan O'Brien-trained France and Smullen resuming the partnership on Evolving Tactics, which won the American Derby over the course and distance last month.

Smullen will also resume his partnership with Dress To Thrill, now trained by Christophe Clement, in the Grade One Beverly D Stakes (10.10 p.m.). Smullen won the Matriarch on the filly last year when she was trained by Dermot Weld.

Kinane will take part in the big race itself on the French-trained Tripat, a Group Three winner at Chantilly in June, trained by Richard Gibson.

The Irish party will make a dash for O'Hare Airport after the Secretariat in time for an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin which will arrive home at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Then it will be back to business.

The great trek should pay off for Smullen and Dermot Weld in particular, even though Weld will walk the track before racing to make sure the ground is safe.

It's a very important afternoon in the Rosewell House season, with Refuse To Bend returning to action in the Group Three Desmond Stakes and Vinnie Roe having a first start since the Melbourne Cup last November in the Ballyroan Stakes.

The three-year-old Refuse To Bend has to concede weight all round, but the Sadler's Wells colt has already proven himself exceptional with his 2,000 Guineas triumph last May.

Significantly, that was on the same good to firm conditions he will encounter tomorrow and his only career blip to date, in the Epsom Derby, can be put down to a lack of stamina.

Up against him now are the progressive Sea Dart and the teak-tough handicapper Livadiya, but, although he rarely wins by far, the evidence suggests Refuse To Bend usually does win.

Much the same comment can apply to the admirable Vinnie Roe, whose determination has yielded three Legers and the prospect of one more at the Curragh next month.

The Ballyroan is his warm-up and although, again, arguments can be made on the figures for the likes of Blue Corrig and Carpanetto, Vinnie Roe is the proven article around Leopardstown and he should be okay on the going.

It could turn out to be a very good day indeed for the Weld team as Euro Pressure should be much more at home on the ground for the Dalkey Handicap than when she was a disappointing favourite at Galway, and Naahil looks a very interesting contender for the Premier Handicap.

The going at Galway ruled out any chance of Naahil running at the festival, but once the ground turned he emerged at Roscommon for a very easy success.

The course and distance winner is up 9lb for that, but still may have enough in hand and his proven ability on fast ground is a big plus.

Kinane is on Rock Of Cashel in the opener, and while he may not be a colt to trust completely, he will at least be racing the opposite way to Galway where he hung left throughout.

The champion is also a significant booking for Avec Plaisir, who has two lengths to make up on In Theory from Gowran during the week, but the Kinane factor should not be underestimated.