Tomahawk goes to Newmarket Racing News round-up

Aidan O'Brien yesterday gave Tomahawk the green light to join stable mate Hold That Tiger in Saturday's Sagitta 2,000 Guineas…

Aidan O'Brien yesterday gave Tomahawk the green light to join stable mate Hold That Tiger in Saturday's Sagitta 2,000 Guineas.

The Ballydoyle trainer is looking for a second Guineas success in a row, and a third in all, but the final make-up of the Irish raid on the Newmarket classic has not been finalised.

Dermot Weld will wait until today before deciding if the unbeaten Refuse To Bend will run.

"I will have to see what the weather does. It's drying rapidly in Newmarket and things are uncertain. I would accept good to firm for the horse, if we get it," Weld said.

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John Murtagh will be on Tomahawk in the Guineas with Michael Kinane on board the warm ante-post favourite Hold That Tiger.

Murtagh was successful on O'Brien's "second string" Rock Of Gibraltar last year.

The champion jump jockey Paul Carberry will not ride for the next week due to the severe leg bruising he picked up at Fairyhouse last week.

"It's the only decision that could be made. Time will be the healer," said the Turf Club medical officer, Dr Walter Halley.

Halley added that the amateur Patrick Murphy, injured in the 11-horse melee on Tuesday, has been let home but is stood down for a week.

Meanwhile, the Kilbeggan manager said yesterday that he was "deeply disappointed" at the Turf Club's withdrawal of the Co Westmeath track's licence to race.

The Turf Club took the step after deciding the ambulance track at Kilbeggan was not up to standard.

However, Paddy Dunican said: "We can only understand that the Turf Club want to abolish small racecourses like ourselves."

He added: "It is my opinion that none of the members of the Licensing Committee present on Monday last were competent or professional engineers in the area of road construction or maintenance.

"I was at a meeting very recently where the ambulances were driving on a similar surface to the surface we are providing."

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column