RACING:A MOUTH-WATERING Bastille Day clash between Irish Derby hero Treasure Beach and French Derby winner Reliable Man could be on the cards at Longchamp on Thursday as Aidan O'Brien pursues a 10th Group One success of 2011 in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris.
Cape Blanco’s Man o’War victory in New York on Saturday gave Ireland’s champion trainer a ninth top-flight victory of the year, and he will be hoping to add to that total later in the week with both Wonder Of Wonders and Misty For Me currently dominating the Darley Irish Oaks betting.
An important forfeit stage for Sunday’s Curragh Classic takes place today. The Epsom heroine, Dancing Rain, is expected to be confirmed a likely runner against the Ballydoyle team.
But before that O’Brien is targeting Group One glory at Longchamp as Treasure Beach and Seville, first and second in the Irish Derby, remain on target to take part in the €600,000 Grand Prix de Paris, a race the trainer won six years ago with Scorpion.
The Irish horses have already been installed as 11 to 4 co-favourites for the mile-and-a-half event, along with the Prix du Jockey Club winner Reliable Man.
Bubble Chic, runner-up to Alain de Royer-Dupre’s star in the Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly over a month ago, was also among the nine entries left in the Longchamp highlight yesterday.
O’Brien has twice notched up 23 Group One victories in a season, in 2008 and 2001. However, the world record for top-flight successes in a year remains Bobby Frankel’s 2003 tally of 25.
The Classic focus at the Curragh this weekend will be on the Oaks, but there will also be plenty of interest this Saturday in the reappearance of Pathfork in the Group Three Minstrel Stakes over seven furlongs.
Jessica Harrington’s National Stakes winner hasn’t been seen since finishing down the field behind Frankel in Newmarket’s 2,000 Guineas, but, as expected, his name features among the 17 left in the Minstrel after yesterday’s forfeit stage.
Also in a high-class entry is Dermot Weld’s filly Emulous, as well as last Sunday’s Fairyhouse scorer Rose Bonheur and the consistent cross-sea performer, The Cheka.
The latter’s trainer, Eve Johnson-Houghton, said yesterday: “Good ground would be fine for The Cheka, but at this stage it’s a bit early to say for sure whether he’ll definitely run.
“It’s certainly an option. His last run looks better now with Libranno running so well in the July Cup.”
The Killarney Festival continues this evening after an afternoon session at Dundalk, where jockey Shane Foley can enjoy a productive session.
He teams up with Michael Halford for the Aga Khan’s Takapour in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden and this race shouldn’t take a lot of winning, while Belleau is bottom of the weights in the seven-furlong claimer and ran a decent third at Leopardstown last time.
Séamus Heffernan is also at Dundalk and should have a decent shout in the six-furlong maiden on McMonagle, who at least has an edge on race fitness with Fred Fenster.
Green To Gold pulled too hard for his own good at Leopardstown last week, but the Bellewstown scorer should still be a major player in the two-mile handicap if settling better.
