News: The Irish champion flat jockey Jamie Spencer is confident he will be fit to ride Powerscourt in Sunday's Japan Cup in Tokyo after narrowly avoiding serious injury in New York over the weekend.

Spencer, who has been riding work for the leading trainer Todd Pletcher, was about to mount a two-year-old in the Aqueduct parade ring on Saturday when he was kicked in the stomach.

It was some minutes before Spencer was able to sit up and he was stretchered away before going for X-rays at a Long Island hospital. Those X-rays showed up negative.

"He is feeling sore but he doesn't think there is a problem with riding Powerscourt. His time riding work over there was ending anyway and he is on his way back to Ireland," said the 24- year-old rider's agent, Eddie Byrne, yesterday.

The James Bowe team have given an upbeat bulletin on Solerina ahead of the star mare's attempt at back to back victories in Sunday's Ballymore Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Solerina will again be joined by her stable companion Florida Coast, who was runner-up in the race last year, as Bowe tries to extend his incredible record in the Grade One feature.

Limestone Lad's treble (1999, 2001, 2002) means the permit holder has won four of the last five renewals of one of the most important races in the jumps season.

"Solerina looks a picture and is as strong as a bull. She looks stronger this year and will do her last bit of work either tomorrow or Tuesday. We'll put her brother (Florida Coast) in to mind her," said Bowe's son Michael yesterday.

However, with the champion hurdler Hardy Eustace and other Cheltenham winners Brave Inca and Rule Supreme also set for Sunday Solerina's task looks more difficult than in 2003.

Mick Fitzgerald is set to partner the Frances Crowley- trained Nil Desperandum in Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. Last year's Drinmore looks like being the sole Irish runner in the race.

Barry Geraghty's decision to travel to Cork yesterday paid dividends as he recorded a hat-trick. The highlight of the treble was a hard-fought victory on Whatareyouhaving in the Murhpy's Handicap Hurdle.

Hardy Duckett (4 to 6) was a warm order in the Shreelawn Oil Hurdle but had to work for his win as he held off the challenge of Pacolet by a length-and-a-half. Victory Boy secured the third leg for Geraghty when taking the TJ Hegarty Handicap Chase.