RACING:ARAZAN, ONCE rated alongside his former stable companion Sea The Stars as a classic prospect, is set for his first start in two years at the Curragh tomorrow.

The Aga Khan-owned colt has been plagued with ill-health, including a couple of bouts of pneumonia, since finishing a two-year-old career when he was officially rated higher than Sea The Stars.

But while that horse achieved racing immortality in 2009, Arazan didn’t even start. He got sick before the Irish 2,000 Guineas and was then sidelined for a four-year-old career.

For much of 2010 that looked like it wasn’t going to happen either, but John Oxx has had a clear run with the half-brother to Azamour during the summer and has declared him for the Group Three Solonaway Stakes over a mile.

“It’s very hard for a horse to come back after two doses of pneumonia with all his ability, but he is in good health and looks terrific,” Oxx said. “He has surprised me and is working like his old self.”

Arazan faces a tough task, however, against another one-time classic hope, Steinbeck, who is race-fit and coming here on the back of a good win at Killarney.

The triple Group One heroine Lush Lashes made her own comeback a couple of weeks ago when fourth to Obama Rule and can reverse those placings in the Group Two Tote Blandford Stakes.

A strong cross-sea challenge is headed by the Yorkshire Oaks third Eleanora Duse and Henry Cecil’s Musidora winner Aviate, but there should be significant improvement in Lush Lashes from a first start in over a year.

In contrast, there are no British raiders for the Group Three Renaissance Stakes and that could prove vital to Santo Padre, who couldn’t cope with Astrophysical Jet and Tax Free over the course and distance last time.

An appeal to the Turf Club during the week failed to reinstate Magical Memoir as a winner over Days Ahead at Galway last month, but Jessica Harrington’s horse can put things right at the start of Listowel’s Harvest festival tomorrow.