RACING/News and preview: Russian Blue failed to extend Aidan O'Brien's excellent record in yesterday's Prix Morny and had to settle for third behind the French filly Divine Proportions in Deauville's Group One feature.
The Marble Hill Stakes winner held every chance but couldn't quicken in the closing stages as Divine Proportions overhauled the paces-setting favourite Lyman.
Jamie Spencer kept Russian Blue going for third ahead of the July Stakes victor Captain Hurricane but the colt was unable to emulate previous O'Brien-trained winners, Johannesburg, Fasliyev and Orpen.
The Morny was run in very testing conditions but that proved no hindrance to the winner who is a half-sister to last year's hero Whipper.
Ladbrokes reacted by installing the Pascal Bary-trained Divine Proportions, now unbeaten in four starts, as a 10 to 1 shot for next year's Newmarket 1,000 Guineas with only the Irish filly Damson rated ahead.
"I think she knew what it was all about the minute she was born," said Bary who could take on Damson in the Cheveley Park Stakes. "Every time she races she climbs another step and has done the same here."
O'Brien and Spencer also had to settle for a place in the Group Two Prix Kergorlay as Brian Boru fell a length and a half short of the David Elsworth-trained outsider Medallist. Richard Hughes set the pace throughout on the winner and it was only close home that Brian Boru pipped Cut Quartz for second.
The weather has conspired to guarantee testing conditions for the opening day of the Tralee Festival and while Faint Heart's name might not be the most appropriate in the circumstances she does look the one to get the four days off to a good start.
The strength in depth of David Wachman's juvenile fillies is well established and Faint Heart should be up to coping with the conditions best in the mile maiden.
Seamus Heffernan's mount has finished runner-up in her two starts and the run behind Cappa Blanca at the Curragh leaves the Ballydoyle hope Drama with something to find.
The racing surface, currently yielding to soft, will be of huge importance and Arachine, a son of Indian Ridge, should handle it well enough to score in the 11-furlong handicap.
A good run over hurdles behind Johnjoe's Express at Galway was preceded by an eye-catching effort behind the gambled on Bocaccio at Leopardstown over a mile. Today's extra three furlongs should not be problem.
Supergood returned to form with a good third in that Johnjoe's Express race and Iggy Madden's tough six-year-old should also be okay on the ground in the Listed handicap hurdle.
Pat Smullen is an interesting booking for Kilmannin in the first division of the mile handicap and this versatile sort ran an good race last time behind Monologue in Sligo.
