Finsceal Beo has score to settle at Newmarket

FINSCEAL BEO has a score to settle with the French star Darjina, and she gets her chance in tomorrow's Group One Falmouth Stakes…

FINSCEAL BEO has a score to settle with the French star Darjina, and she gets her chance in tomorrow's Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

Darjina denied Jim Bolger's filly a unique 1,000 Guineas hat-trick in last year's French classic at Longchamp, and overall she has a 4-0 advantage over Finsecal Beo in their meetings to date.

The last of them was in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, when Darjina was runner-up to Haradasun with Finsceal Beo in third.

The old rivals are among the final declared field of 12 for the opening-day feature of the July meeting.

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There will also be Irish interest in today's Cherry Hinton Stakes, with Aidan O'Brien's juvenile Heart Shaped in a field of eight.

This evening's Roscommon action will take place on testing ground, but that might not be enough to stop Keaveney making a winning return to action in the conditions hurdle after over eight hundred days on the sidelines.

Ruby Walsh's mount enjoyed a prolific 2005 and clearly is still showing enough for Willie Mullins to persevere with him.

Walsh also has a shout in the maiden hurdle with Stylish Article, while Ger Lyons could also double up with Warrior Nation in the juvenile maiden and Turk, who's on a hat-trick in the seven-furlong handicap.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column