RACING: The Curragh authorities have targeted the Italian star La Vie Dei Colori as a possible starter for the Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The colt, unbeaten in eight starts in Italy including the 2,000 Guineas last month, was yesterday ruled out of Sunday's French Guineas with a temperature.
That had the Curragh authorities launching into a hard sell of the first Irish Classic of the season and the option is being "seriously considered" by the connections of La Vie Dei Colori.
The colt would have to be supplemented into the race at a cost of €40,000 but he would be a rare Italian starter in a Classic in Ireland.
The only horse to have beaten the Italian star in his career is Hold That Tiger in last season's Grand Criterium but there will be no Longchamp return for the colt.
"He developed a temperature on Wednesday. He is a little feverish and there is no option but to make alternative plans. We are very disappointed," said La Vie Dei Colori's trainer Bob Brogi yesterday.
Aidan O'Brien left in Dalcassian, Catcher In The Rye and France at yesterday's probables stage for Sunday's French Guineas.
The Ballydoyle trainer later revealed that Michael Kinane is likely to ride the Tetrarch winner France with Kieren Fallon on Catcher In The Rye.
Fallon will also take the ride on Balestrini in the Prix Lupin with Kinane on the first string Alberto Giacometti.
At home, Sunday's Derrinstown Derby Trial clash between Alamshar and Brian Boru is still on and the ground may yet emerge as better than expected at Leopardstown.
The going is currently "yielding" but the track manager Tom Burke said: "The forecast is for pretty dry weather over the next four days and I would be hoping for good to yielding."
Seamus Heffernan will be on Brian Boru in the big race with Pat Cosgrave on The Great Gatsby and Tom Queally the rider of the third Ballydoyle runner.
Wexford has a mixed card this evening and the champion jumps jockey Paul Carberry can start off the new campaign with a winner on Airolo in the opening maiden hurdle.
Ground Ball, runner up to Beachcomber Bay when well fancied over fences at Punchestown last week, reverts to hurdles tonight and the Charlie Swan horse should prefer the better going.
John Murtagh and Pat Smullen both travel to the south east and both can have the trip rewarded.
Last weekend's Guineas winner is on Govamix in the Glenville Maiden and this one showed enough pace in bumpers to suggest he is up to a race of this standard.
Murtagh rides the topweight Kerry Way for Tommy Stack in the Club Vitae Handicap and the booking looks significant on the back of the horse's second to One For The Money at Tipperary last time.
Carolina is dropped 8lb compared to his start at Galway last year and could go close in the two-mile handicap while Viaduct's course and distance experience could give him the edge in the hunters chase.
