RACING: Kevin Prendergast is losing hope of running his star filly Rebelline in Sunday's Prix de l'Opera and has nominated Newmarket's Champion Stakes as a possible alternative.
Reports from France of "good to soft" going at Longchamp were yesterday firmly rejected by the Curragh trainer who has seen Rebelline win all three of her starts at his home track this season.
The four-year-old hasn't run since winning the Tatattersalls Gold Cup in late May and a proposed reappearance in the Irish Champion Stakes was abandoned due to unsuitable ground conditions. Prendergast is afraid the same is likely to happen again.
"She won't run unless the going is good to soft and from what we hear it is fast ground with no rain forecast. We will leave a decision as late as possible but as of now it looks doubtful she will run.
"But there are a couple of other options including the Champion Stakes and a Group One in Italy," he said.
Rebelline finished eighth to Nayef in the Champion Stakes last year and this will be her last season in training before being retired to stud.
If Rebelline doesn't travel to France, it is likely her two year old stable companion Rainbows For All, winner of the Debutante Stakes last time, will miss out on the Prix Marcel Boussac.
Instead Rainbows For All would stay at home for Saturday's CL Weld Park Stakes which is also likely to attract the Michael Bell-trained Ballerina Suprema from Newmarket.
Other news yesterday included confirmation of the sale of Ballingarry to continue his career in the USA.
His trainer, Aidan O'Brien, will be four-handed as he attempts to win the Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes for a third successive year at Newmarket today.
The O'Brien quartet is headed by Tomahawk, who was a 1 to 2 shot when beaten a short head by Helm Bank in the Chesham Stakes over a furlong further at Royal Ascot.
Irrawaddy has also not been seen since the Royal meeting where he had little luck in running in the Norfolk Stakes.
Ontario, who was fourth to Revenue in the Windsor Castle Stakes, went on to win the Group Three Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh, but he was only fifth when he returned there for the Phoenix Stakes in August. Curragh winner Miguel Cervantes was fourth to today's rival Zafeen when sent to Newbury for the Mill Reef Stakes.
O'Brien's will no doubt be keeping an eye at home to see if Russia can win at the third time of asking at Thurles. The Kingmambo colt did better at Listowel than on his Gowran Park debut but still found Alamshar too good. The run should have done Russia a lot of good and he looks up to beating Mandhoor.
O'Brien also runs Harbour Bound in the mile and a half maiden but a bad race might just see Raydaniya get off the mark.
