Tipperary preview:The going will be heavy at Tipperary this weekend, but no problems are anticipated with either this evening's meeting or tomorrow's going ahead.
Tonight's feature is the eight-runner Listed Danehill Dancer Tipperary Stakes, in which My Girl Sophie will be fancied to secure a valuable second success in four days for the Jim Bolger team.
This $300,000 Danzig filly sluiced up by five lengths in a Nursery at Leopardstown on Wednesday evening, and although she drops back a furlong now, that shouldn't be as much of a problem in these conditions.
The Tipperary manager, Peter Roe, reported yesterday: "It is heavy here but we are only getting the tail end of what the rest of the country is getting. If the forecast is correct, there shouldn't be any issue about us taking place."
Testing going normally would not be an issue for a son of the French sire Linamix, which will be good news for fans of Medicinal's chance in the two-mile conditions chase.
Edward O'Grady's runner made an impressive start over fences at Ballinrobe on very different ground but should be versatile enough to adapt.
Sandtime, a daughter of the Grade One winner Key Change, is an interesting newcomer in the nine-furlong fillies maiden, but Luminous One's 90 rating is a convincing argument for going with the proven article.
The big-race focus switches tomorrow to the jumps and the featured Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle, which looks a good Grade Three opportunity for Essex.
Michael O'Brien's former Pierse and Totesport Trophy winner might be better over further than two miles these days based on his smart defeat of Sweet Kiln at the Fairyhouse festival in April.
But the testing conditions will bring his stamina into play, and he gets a useful weight allowance from Al Eile, who had a gruelling race in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on his last start.
Knight Legend has been campaigning over fences but, on his old hurdles form, he is rated to get the better of Gripit N Tipit and Irish Invader in the three-mile conditions hurdle.
Up to 250 people, including a number of high-profile jockeys, are expected to race over a furlong after racing this evening in aid of the Jockeys Accident Fund and Cystic Fibrosis.
Last year €100,000 was raised in a similar event last year."
Sergeant Cecil could yet tackle next week's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
"Nothing has been decided yet, but I think if he did run in the King George, he would run a good race," said trainer Rod Millman.
