JUMP FANS might be focusing on Fairyhouse this weekend but there will be Grade One Irish interest in the warmer climes of Los Angeles tonight when Lord Admiral lines up for the €310,000 Citation Handicap.
Charles O'Brien's veteran will carry the colours of the legendary Vincent O'Brien in the extended mile contest at Hollywood Park where he will face nine opponents including the Breeders' Cup third Whatsthescript.
O'Brien has engaged the top American jockey Alex Solis for the ride on Lord Admiral who ran down the field in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on his last start at Santa Anita.
It will be the seven-year-old's third start in a row in the US as prior to the Breeders' Cup he ran fourth in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in early October.
Davy Russell will also be travelling this weekend as he has got the prized spare ride on Sublimity in tomorrow's Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
The 2006 Champion Hurdle winner's usual rider Philip Carberry broke a collarbone in a fall at Enghein in France on Wednesday and faces a spell on the sidelines.
Sublimity's new trainer Robbie Hennessy has moved quickly to book Russell but admitted: "I could have done without this for my first runner. It's a real shame for Philip because he knows the horse so well."
Russell could also be in line to ride another former Champion Hurdle winner as a decision has yet to be taken about who will ride Brave Inca in Sunday's Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
Trainer Colm Murphy got a boost with Sher Why Not's 12 to 1 victory at Thurles yesterday and remains hopeful of a good show by Brave Inca in his first start for a year and a half.
"He's as fit as I can get him. But first time out over two and a half miles, on soft to heavy ground, will have a major impact on his fitness. Ideally I'd have liked a start back in an easier race but unfortunately that wasn't possible," he said yesterday.
"We will have to see where we go with him after Sunday. If the ground remains as it is, we will probably drop back to two miles. If all goes well we will drop back to the two miler at Christmas," he added.
Cousin Vinny was taken out of ante-post betting on the Royal Bond Hurdle by one firm on Wednesday but Willie Mullins doesn't expect to make a final decision on his bumper star's participation until declaration time this morning.
Mullins's other Royal Bond entry, Hurricane Fly, has been supported in ante-post betting this week but Mullins hasn't ruled out giving his Cheltenham winner, Cousin Vinny, a first start over jumps in Grade One company.
"I'm edging towards running him in the Royal Bond as the small field would suit him starting off," he reported.
A total of just eight entries remain in the Royal Bond which has a fine history of throwing up future National Hunt stars including the legendary Istabraq who won the Grade One event in 1996.
Saturday's highlight at Fairyhouse will be the Ladbrokes Porterstown Handicap Chase which could see Chelsea Harbour making a quick reappearance after exiting in spectacular fashion in last Sunday's Troytown Chase at Navan. Tom Mullins's horse unseated his rider at the fifth last in the Troytown and sparked a chain of events that saw the favourite Officier De Reserve run out.
"The Paddy Power at Leopardstown over Christmas is in my thoughts too," Mullins said.
