RACING/Irish preview: Since Aidan O'Brien took over the stables at Ballydoyle at the start of the 1996 season he has amassed a remarkable total of Group Race wins at home and abroad but the Beresford Stakes stands pre-eminent in this record. He has yet to taste defeat in this Prince Khalid Abdullah sponsorship, his first victory coming with Johan Cruyff while Castle Gandolfo posted number six in 2001.
At The Curragh tomorrow he provides four of the 11 runners and the selected is the well regarded Brian Boru who, but for falling victim to the stable bug, would by now have surely added to his stylish win over this course in June.
John Oxx, whose father trained four Beresford Stakes winners going back to 1948, takes on Brian Boru with his singleton winner Alamshar. Thus this will be one of a series of occasions through the day when Michael Kinane and Johnnie Murtagh will be clashing on major fancies as they battle for the jockeyship along with Pat Smullen.
One needle encounter will concern Murtagh on Millstreet in the Rathbarry Stud's Barathea Finale Stakes. On his last start Millstreet was a 2-5 favourite in a three horse race at Listowel but Kinane on the pace setting Sorcerer closed the door when Murtagh tried to get up on his inside and kept the race in the Stewards Room. Now Kinane partners Starbourne and Murtagh can exact his revenge.
Smullen's best prospect now that the going forecast has been changed to soft is Tiger Royal in the Bank of Ireland Waterford Testimonial Stakes while Kinane can secure his fourth Irish Cesarewitch as he teams up with Noel Meade's Billy Bonnie.
Gowran Park's three day Festival of Racing comes to a close this afternoon when Dermot Weld, a man for all seasons, can mix a double with Great Compton securing the EBF Premier Nursery and Ballyconnell taking the Lord Bagenal Inn Beginners Chase.
