THE AMOUNT of rain due to fall on Leopardstown today will play a “crucial” role in whether or not the most eagerly awaited clash of the racing year between Sea The Stars and Fame And Glory goes ahead on Saturday.
The usual determination of the Sea The Stars camp to race on a minimum of good ground, and nothing softer, may be weakening slightly, with Curragh trainer John Oxx admitting he would consider taking part in this weekend’s €1 million Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes on a slightly slower surface.
That may yet prove to be hugely significant with a forecast of 10mms of rain to fall on Leopardstown today. If that amount is correct, course officials reckon it could turn the going towards “yielding” and that would provoke confidence in ground conditions turning more suitable for Sea The Stars by Saturday.
“We are good to yielding, and good in places, today. It’s hard to be sure about the forecast but we could get 10mms plus on Wednesday and what we get tomorrow will be crucial. The forecast isn’t bad for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday with good drying conditions. But Wednesday will tell the tale,” said the Leopardstown manager Tom Burke yesterday.
“If it did turn yielding, then I think there would be a good chance of it coming back by Saturday,” he added. “I’m still very hopeful Sea The Stars will run.”
John Oxx has expressed his desire to run Sea The Stars in what would be the world’s highest-rated racehorse’s sole start in Ireland in 2009, and has appeared to soften his stance on running the colt on nothing softer than good.
“Once the word good is in the description, then I wouldn’t rule out running him, even if it was on the slow side of good,” he reported. “If he misses the weekend, then we will prepare him for the Arc and see what the ground is like there.”
Bookmakers, however, remain sceptical of a match-up between Sea The Stars and the Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory, with many not yet betting ante-post on the weekend highlight.
“Things are still uncertain and after the weather we have had it must be unlikely that Sea The Stars will run,” maintained Paddy Power yesterday. Powers, however, do have a match bet with Sea The Stars a 4 to 6 favourite against Fame And Glory (11 to 10).
Fame And Glory finished runner-up to Sea The Stars on the sole occasion they have clashed so far in June’s Epsom Derby. A slowly run race at Epsom was widely felt to have been a disadvantage to the Aidan O’Brien-trained runner and he subsequently was very impressive at the Curragh.
Saturday’s race is over a mile and a quarter rather than a mile and a half but O’Brien said yesterday he is unconcerned by the drop back in trip.
“We know it is 10 furlongs but it will be interesting to see. We don’t think the trip will be a problem. We always feel a top mile and a half horse will have no problem going back to 10 furlongs,” O’Brien said. “He has plenty of speed, is a great traveller and is tactically quick early.”
The champion trainer has six of the 11 entries remaining in the Champion Stakes and O’Brien hasn’t ruled out running the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Mastercraftsman alongside Fame And Glory. Final declarations for the race take place tomorrow.
