RACING:POWER COULDN'T repel the late challenge of the shock 33 to 1 winner La Collina in the Phoenix Stakes earlier this month but could still attempt to secure a Group One prize at Deauville this weekend.
Aidan O’Brien’s Coventry Stakes winner is one of three Ballydoyle entries left in the €350,000 Prix Morny, a race Ireland’s champion trainer hasn’t won in 10 years. His last Morny victor was Johannesburg in 2001 who added to earlier wins for Fasliyev (1999) and Orpen (1998.) Both Reply and Boris Grigoriev also remain among the Morny entries.
Johnny Murtagh was a Morny winner three years ago on David Wachman’s Bushranger and the jockey is on duty at Bellewstown tonight where he opens with a ride on Kashmir Peak in the juvenile maiden. Love Is The Key could prove tough to beat in this race, however, on the evidence of an improved effort at Galway.
A mile and a half might not be ideal for Pires but the combination of Tony Martin’s runner and Nina Carberry is hard to oppose in the Qualified Riders Race. Third to Jackaroo at Dundalk on Sunday, Pires ran a fine race at Galway in the big mile event won by Stunning View and already boasts course winning form over hurdles from last year.
Hyden won well at Tramore on Friday and can defy a 5lb penalty in the first division of the mile handicap while the second should see Fairy Wing with a major shout.
