FAMOUS NAME has already travelled the world in pursuit of an elusive Group One success but a first trip to Italy at the end of next month could finally see Dermot Weld’s stalwart performer make it 11th time lucky at the top level.
Although Weld confirmed yesterday he is still considering the Irish Champion Stakes in 11 days time for his seven-year-old star, the Curragh trainer has also entered Famous Name in the Group One Premio Vittorio di Capua in Milan a fortnight afterwards.
The mile event has been won in recent years by well known names such as Dick Turpin and Rio de la Plata and it could present an ideal opportunity for Famous Name who has run 10 times to date at Group One level in a 36-race career.
That career has so far yielded 19 victories, including a first at Group Two standard in the Royal Whip earlier in the month. However, he has continued to come up just short at Group One level with five runner-up placings including a narrow defeat to Vision d’Etat in the 2008 French Derby.
A top-flight victory for Famous Name would be hugely popular in Ireland and Weld said yesterday: “He is a remarkable horse. We’ll see where we got next. The Irish Champion is a possibility. But he is also entered in Italy on September 29th. We’ll see closer to the time.”
Famous Name’s Group One trek has already taken him to France, Germany and even Canada, as well as a number of top-flight appearances at home in Ireland.
In contrast to his stable companion, Rite Of Passage has been only fleetingly seen in recent years but the 2010 Ascot Gold Cup hero remains on course to appear again in the Irish St Leger in less than three weeks’ time. Rite Of Passage hasn’t been seen publicly in over a year due to leg trouble but Weld reported: “He is progressing nicely and hopefully he will be back for the Irish Leger. That looks a likely starting point and then we might look at something like the Prix du Cadran.”
Another Weld star about to reappear is Emulous who will attempt back-to-back wins in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and on the same day, the Gallinule Stakes winner Speaking Of Which could run in the Kilternan Stakes over 10 furlongs.
Michael Winters enjoyed another big day at the weekend with his Galway Hurdle hero Rebel Fitz and travels to Ballinrobe this evening where Missunited can make a successful bumper and maiden hurdle winner is flat bred and loves testing ground.
She takes on a Ballydoyle representative today in the 76-rated Buckingham Gate but Missunited can see Winters get the better of the big guns again in the opening maiden. Hartside can complete a quick hat-trick in the following mile and six handicap. The in-form Tommy Carmody team have been belting in winners in the last couple of weeks and Hartside contributed two, at Tramore eight days ago and Wexford on Friday.
Oliver Brady’s horses have also been doing well recently and the Sligo runner-up Shabra Emperor is preferred in the nine-furlong handicap while Jakros could get the better of The Great Shanghai in the Beginners Chase.
