BIJOU D'INDE travelled last night for Sunday's First National Building Society Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh with his trainer Mark Johnston hoping a foot problem will not count against the colt.
The Pertemps 2,000 Guineas third was found to be suffering from a sore near fore foot over the weekend. "We trimmed back one of his feet on Friday but we trimmed it back too far and one foot was a good half inch longer than the other," said Johnston yesterday afternoon.
"He was plated this morning after the injury and I'm going to go home tonight and hope everything is OK. He's due to go to Ireland at 8 o'clock this evening.
"I am not worried about the prospect of soft ground. What concerns me is the foot problem. It was soft when he ran in the Royal Lodge but that didn't prove it one way or the other but we've got assume he'll handle it.
Ladbrokes promoted French raider Spinning World to favouritism for the colt's classic yesterday but Coral keep Bijou d'lnde as 5 to 2 market leader.
Spokesman Rob Hartnett explained. "We think the 2,000 Guineas form is pretty good. He was having his first run of the season at Newmarket and we have had this race in mind for him since.
"He is favourite until the punters tell us different with a flood of money for Spinning World which we haven't seen."
John Murtagh has decided to partner the Athasi Stakes runner up Zafzala in tomorrow's Airlie Coolmore Irish 1,000 Guineas. The champion jockey's mount will be one of three fillies in the Classic trained by John Oxx, who saddled last year's winner, Ridgewood Pearl.
The Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial winner Sheraka will now be partnered by Frenchman Gerald Mosse, while Asmara, owned like her stable companions by the Aga Khan, will be ridden by last year's winning jockey Christy Roche.
Coral betting on the Classic would suggest Murtagh may have picked the wrong filly, with Zafzala quoted at 12 to 1 and Sheraka at 10 to 1.
The only Irish trained runner quoted at a single figure price is Dermot Weld trained Dance Design (8-1), with the market dominated by British challengers Bint Shadayid (5-2), Matiya (7-2), My Branch (4-1) and Distant Oasis (9-2).
The going at the two day Curragh meeting will, it is claimed, be no worse than good to soft. Racecourse manager Brian Kavanagh said yesterday morning. "There was practically no rain overnight and that's the picture for the rest of the week with just scattered showers forecast.
"I wouldn't say the going will be perfect but it should be just a little on the soft side.
At Dundalk this evening, Silks Of The Field, whose stable will be represented by Flame Of Athens in the 2,000 Guineas, is napped to take the Baileys Maiden.
The Michael Grassick trained filly ran two fine races last autumn and then made a highly encouraging return to action earlier this month at Killarney when third in a three way photo to Bold And Gorgeous and Soviet Dreamer. Improvement can be expected after that outing and she should have the beating of Priolina and Hakone.
