Racing: Aidan O'Brien will have the track at Deauville checked out today to see if the ground conditions there will allow Holy Roman Emperor take his chance in tomorrow's Group One Darley Prix Morny.
The Danehill colt is as short as 6 to 1 favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas after an impressive success in last weekend's Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh but soft going could yet prevent an attempt at a rapid Group One follow up in France.
Holy Roman Emperor was one of nine horses declared for the Morny yesterday morning but O'Brien remains concerned about the possibility of testing conditions at the Normandy course.
O'Brien said yesterday: "The plan is to walk the track tomorrow. We hope it will be respectable ground. We want to run. But it is soft there at the moment and showers are forecast. And the question is how heavy they will be. We can't risk him."
The champion trainer has won the Morny three times in the past with Orpen (1998), Fasliyev (1999) and Johannesburg (2001) but Ivan Denisovich was only runner-up last year and Kieren Fallon criticised the ground conditions afterwards.
O'Brien did confirm, however, that it is ground worries rather than concern about a quick reappearance that are dominating his thoughts on the run up to this weekend's Group One feature in Europe.
"Obviously no one can know for certain how they will react just a week after running but I'm not worried with this horse. He is a hardy fellah," he said.
Also among the Morny nine are the Peter Chapple Hyam pair, Dutch Art and Striving Storm, while Frankie Dettori will be on the Neville Callaghan-trained Excellent Art with Olivier Peslier set to ride the main local hope, Sandwaki.
Fallon is also scheduled to team up with his old boss, Michael Stoute, for the former Group One winner Red Bloom who is due to run in Group One Prix Jean Romanet on the same Deauville card.
This evening's Tramore card sees the John Magnier colours in action for some less high profile pots but the David Wachman-trained pair of Ocean Pearl and Moondreamer can still emerge victorious.
The latter has topweight in the mile-and-a-half handicap but she comes here on the back of finishing third in a finish of necks to Rebel Rover at Fairyhouse last month.
Ocean Pearl's 83 rating in the opening maiden makes a pretty convincing argument against the Alzao newcomer Shabaka while Always The Groom can defy a 12lb hike in the weights and continue a winning streak in the two-mile handicap.
Albrighton, a course and distance winner all of four years ago, continued his comeback at Sligo recently with a nice run behind Liscune and might be an each way option in the fourteen furlong handicap.
