RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:THERE WAS uncertainty about the final field of last year's Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes up until the morning of the race, and the only sure thing about this Saturday's renewal appears to be that Henry Cecil will attempt to secure a first Irish Group One prize in 11 years with Twice Over.
It is twice that long since the legendary Newmarket trainer landed the 1988 Champion Stakes with Indian Skimmer – when the race was run at the Phoenix Park – one of a sequence of nine top-flight prizes Cecil has landed in Ireland.
Cloonagh was the first of them in 1973 when victorious in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, and there have been eight more Group One victories since, including a pair of Irish Derbys with Old Vic (1989) and Commander In Chief (1993).
However, it is 11 years since Ramruma won the Irish Oaks, and, after Cecil’s well-publicised health and professional problems, Twice Over, runner-up to Rip Van Winkle in the Juddmonte International last month, will be a sentimental favourite on Saturday to bridge that gap.
“Twice Over has come out of York very well and Henry is pleased with him,” the Juddmonte spokesman, Teddy Grimthorpe, said.
The Champion Stakes and Eclipse winner is a general 5 to 2 second-favourite for Saturday’s €750,000 highlight, but there remains huge uncertainty about the final make-up of the Group One field, with Aidan O’Brien holding fire on which of his five-strong entry will take part.
Ladbrokes have installed Rip Van Winkle as their favourite and are not quoting Fame And Glory, who has an alternative engagement in the following weekend’s Prix Foy at Longchamp, at all.
However, Paddy Power continue to make Fame And Glory their odds-on favourite and quote Rip Van Winkle “with a run”.
Cape Blanco is the third major player among the Ballydoyle entries.
“Our odds compilers reckon Fame And Glory is more likely to start than Rip and that’s why we’re only quoting Rip Van Winkle with a run,” a Power spokesman said. “It’s all very confusing from our point of view.”
The final shape of the O’Brien team may not be known until tomorrow’s final declaration stage as the champion trainer pursues a record sixth success in the race.
Last year uncertainty about ground conditions meant Sea The Stars was only confirmed a definite starter in the Champion Stakes on the morning of the race, and there could yet be a surprise impact from the weather on the 2010 renewal.
The Leopardstown authorities have been watering the track since Saturday and ground conditions yesterday were officially “good to firm” on the watered areas with the prospect of a dry week ahead. However, there is rain forecast for Saturday.
“We started watering the outer track where the Group One races will be run on Monday and we are watering the remainder of that track today,” manager Tom Burke said yesterday.
“We possibly will have to water again. There is an indication we may get some light rain on Saturday afternoon but the exact timing of that is uncertain.”
The progressive Sea Lord was supplemented into the Champion Stakes on Monday at a cost of €75,000, and trainer Mark Johnston is hopeful of a big show from his Group Three winner.
“We’ve done this a couple of times this year – supplementing horses into big races – and, touch wood, he seems very well. It’s a big leap and we can’t take it for granted he is a Group One horse, but this seems the right progression for him,” Johnston said.
It will be Sea Lord’s first attempt at 10 furlongs, but the trainer added: “Kieren Fallon rode him the last time and said he would be better at a mile-and-a- quarter. He is by Cape Cross, and though he was a miler himself we have seen he is capable of producing horses with stamina.”
Saturday’s other Group One highlight is the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes, for which Mick Channon’s Falmouth Stakes winner Music Show is a 3 to 1 favourite in some ante-posts.
Godolphin have entered the ex-Jessica Harrington-trained Long Lashes for the Matron, while Cavalryman remains a possible runner for them in the Champion.
