Racing News round-upMichael Kinane is closing in fast on what would be his seventh century of winners in a season and has until Sunday, the end of the 2003 season, in which to do it.
Already assured of his 13th jockeys title, Kinane is just four short of the magic 100 mark and travels to Thurles today for what could be a successful afternoon.
He has two rides, Aidan O'Brien's Shangri La in the Glen Maiden and Rick in the Holycross Handicap, and both look to hold winning chances.
Kinane has already broken the century six times in his career, the first time being when he notched up 105 in 1985. However, his best ever total was 115 in 1993.
On the trainers front, Aidan O'Brien's prize money total of close on a2.5 million means he tops the table in terms of cash but Dermot Weld is ahead winner wise.
His total of 90 on the flat this season compares to 70 for O'Brien and 79 for John Oxx. Ten jumps winners this year also mean that Weld has already hit the 100 winners in Ireland for 2003.
The big end-of-term clash continues to be the race for the apprentice title with Catherine Gannon trailing Pat Cosgrave by two winners - 30 to 28.
Gannon looks the most likely to change that tally this afternoon with possibly Count Altanne in the Munster Handicap her best hope of a win.
She is also on Oxx's Shamsada in the maiden but it is hard to get away from Shangri La in this one.
The O'Brien filly is nowhere near as good as the bare form of her third to Dimitrova and L'ancresse at Leopardstown in April might suggest but her reappearance at Navan earlier this month when third to Elite Society indicated she should come on enough to break her duck here.
Kinane is also on Rick in the mile and a half handicap and the 3lb hike in the ratings for winning at Fairyhouse doesn't look enough to stop the him having a big shout again.
Over the jumps, the forecasted "firm" ground accounts for just two lining up in the a23,000 Chase and Risk Accessor should add to his 2001 success in the race while Barry Geraghty should score on Irish Tzar in the maiden hurdle.
Mouse Morris intends sending both Alcapone (Charlie Hall Chase) and Rostropovich (John Smith's Hurdle) to Wetherby on Saturday.
"Both are in good shape and I expect them to run well. It looks like it will be raining for much of the week," he said yesterday.
One man hoping some of that rain will hit the Dublin area is Michael Hourigan who intends to run the Gold Cup second-favourite Beef Or Salmon in Sunday's November Handicap if the going turns soft.
Beef Or Salmon ran third in the race last year which is the highlight of the last day of the flat season. Dorans Pride won it for Hourigan three years ago but significant rain will have to fall for the young chasing star to run this time.
