RACING: LEOPARDSTOWN PREVIEWHAVING TO settle for second in Ballydoyle's pecking order of riders might not be doing much for Ryan Moore's ego but it can pay off again out on the track at Leopardstown tomorrow.
The man who is favourite to collect another British champion jockey title this year flies into Dublin for two rides for Aidan O’Brien and can win on both including Wrote in the Group Two Derrinstown Derby Trial.
The Ballydoyle number one Joseph O’Brien is in Longchamp for the French Guineas races which traditionally clashes with this meeting and which in the past allowed Séamus Heffernan team up with superstar names like Galileo, High Chaparral and Dylan Thomas in the Derrinstown.
Moore is filling that role now but last weekend’s swashbuckling 1,000 Guineas victory for Homecoming Queen illustrated again how good the extra-pickings from Europe’s most powerful yard can be.
Just five line up for what is traditionally Ireland’s most significant Derby trial this time but Akeed Mofeed is not among them with John Oxx ruling out an Epsom attempt for his highly-promising three-year-old.
“He’s got a problem with his hock,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Akeed Mofeed’s owner Jaber Abdullah.
“It’s not much of a problem but he couldn’t medicate it because it’s so close to the race.”
He added: “John said he’d rather not go for the Derrinstown, and he’s not going to go for the Derby at Epsom without a prep race. His new programme will be the Irish Guineas and Irish Derby.
“The problem he had before when he missed his previous race was in front. This time he strained a hock when he worked well on Tuesday. It’s one of those unfortunate things.
“John waited until Friday to make up his mind and he wasn’t 100 per cent happy with him.”
That leaves tomorrow’s feature looking like a perfect opportunity for the Breeders’ Cup winner Wrote to regain winning form having managed only third to his stable companion Daddy Long Legs in the UAE Derby in March.
Jim Bolger appears to provide the big threat in the Ballysax winner Light Heavy but Wrote is officially 3lb well in with that one on figures and he can provide O’Brien with a 10th win in the race.
The 1,000 Guineas Trial looks much more competitive and provides an interesting form link to Newmarket last week with Alla Speranza, sixth in the classic, turning out again quickly.
There are any number of potentially highly-progressive fillies here but Moore could be on the best of them in Soon who belied 25 to 1 odds when chasing home Tannery in a Stakes race at Gowran.
Famous Name was beaten a long way by Penitent at Sandown recently but the Leopardstown stalwart is impossible to oppose as he chases a hat-trick of wins in the Group Three Amethyst Stakes.
Allowed has ground to make up on Show Court on running behind Aklan at the Curragh but the Oxx horse looks a type to improve significantly and can score in the concluding maiden.
