RACING: Michael Kinane warms up for Hawk Wing in tomorrow's eclipse with a trip to Limerick this evening for four rides.
At yesterday's final declaration stage, Aidan O'Brien had three of the seven horses left in the Eclipse.
The Budweiser Irish Derby runner up Sholokhov and last year's Eclipse third Bach will join Hawk Wing in a race that could cut up even further.
The Queen Anne winner No Excuse Needed is not a certain starter with trainer Michael Stoute declaring yesterday: "No Excuse Needed will not run if there is further rain."
Hawk Wing remains a hot odds-on favourite to further add to Kinane's season which has already seen him pick up nearly €2million in prizemoney in Ireland.
However, tonight, Kinane will also be hoping to stretch his lead over Pat Smullen in the jockeys championship.
Smullen has narrowed the gap to just three and Kinane's best chances of adding to his 31 tally look to rest with Vanity Jane in the fillies maiden and Discerning Air in the two-mile handicap.
Vanity Jane was running on noticeably well at the Curragh last weekend when sixth of 19 to Millstreet on her debut.
That experience, and Kinane on her back, can help her to pick up a poor looking race.
Discerning Air has a 5lb penalty for beating Billy Bonnie half a length at the Curragh on Sunday, but the local runner should be up to the job.
The Bellewstown fixture winds up with another eight-race card which should start well for punters courtesy of Persian Knight.
This one's third to Sa'ed and the subsequent Curragh winner De Laroche at Leopardstown should be good enough in tonight's context.
Gli Gli was an impressive winner at Gowran on his last start and should be too tough for the consistent Ikdam Melody in the maiden hurdle.
Mount Kimble's third, admittedly beaten a long way, to Alexander Milenium at Leopardstown last Christmas reads much too good for the opposition in the first maiden hurdle.
Trainer Paul d'Arcy and jockey Pat Eddery were both successful today in their appeal against the running and riding of Fantastic Champion at Newmarket on May 5th.
The disciplinary committee of the Jockey Club enquired as to whether or not Eddery had committed a breach of Rule 158, and whether or not d'Arcy had committed a breach of Rule 155 (ii).
The matter was referred to Portman Square under Instruction H19 by the Windsor stewards following the gelding's subsequent winning run on May 20th - it had finished 16 of 17 runners in the Newmarket race.
The committee heard evidence from Eddery and d'Arcy, who was legally represented and considered a report from a British Horseracing Board Handicapper.
It also viewed video recordings of the races at Newmarket and Windsor.
