THE Flat season will, after all, end at Leopardstown on Sunday as was planned before the Irish Horseracing Authority aroused considerable controversy by arranging an additional fixture at Tipperary next Friday.
However, when the Tipperary track was inspected yesterday, the inspector of courses, Billy McLernon, found it unraceable due to waterlogging, with no reasonable prospect of getting it ready in time. The Turf Club stewards have therefore abandoned the fixture.
John Murtagh, who is in Hong Kong, will miss the Leopardstown fixture. He is two ahead of Kevin Manning in the jockeys' championship, which he won for the first time last season.
There are five Flat races on Sunday's eight race card, including the Lower Grange EBF Nursery switched from a Gowran fixture, which leaves Manning with a sporting chance of at least sharing the title.
. In the November Handicap the soft ground horses have been supported with Dato Star now 7 to 1 second favourite from 8 to 1, Snow Princess 12 to 1 from 14 to 1 and Penny A Day, Sugar Mill and Nabhaan all 14 to 1 from 16 to 1. Present Arms, Flamands and Dreams End have all drifted.
Coral report support for Nabhaan and Spirito Libro who are both now 14 to 1 from 20 to 1.
The Martin Pipe trained Challenger du Luc has been the best backed horse with Coral in early exchanges on the Murphy's Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday week. He is now 8 to 1 from 10 to 1.
