Dermot Weld said yesterday that it was "pretty certain" that Muakaad will fly the Irish flag in Saturday's Arlington Million in Chicago.

"It looks pretty certain now that Muakaad will run in the Arlington Million and Pat Smullen will ride. The ground should be fine for the horse and we won the American Derby on the track last year with Pine Dance," said Weld.

There are three other European possibles for the 10 furlong, Grade 1 race. Compton Bolter is being considered for the contest by Gerard Butler and there are two German entries, Caitano and Silvano.

Other weekend developments included news of a one-week delay in the High Court hearing of Michael Kinane's injunction against the Turf Club until August 22nd. The delay is reportedly to give the Turf Club time to decide if they will contest the injunction and submit an affidavit.

Monty's Pass failed to go one better than his 1999 runner-up placing in the Galway Plate and now has to hump the full penalty he picked up for a good run at Killarney in tonight's handicap chase at Tramore.

Jimmy Mangan's horse ran an OK sixth in the Plate behind Grimes and now has to carry topweight against an inferior field. That is hardly ideal and the concession to the double Cork winner See More Perks at the bottom of the handicap could be beyond him.

There are three flat maidens that are mainly distinguishable by the lack of quality. However, Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen team up for Kimash in the three-year-old race and there could be enough improvement from a Navan run in June to put her in the winner's circle.

The Sligo bumper winner Star Councel goes in the two-mile maiden but a better value alternative could be Lady Monilousha who ran a reasonable fourth to Kilcrea Shyan at Galway.

Dariole won the opening maiden hurdle on the corresponding day last year and the track experience can only help.