RACING: David Wachman and Jamie Spencer have already picked up a major British Classic trial with Indesatchel in the Greenham Stakes and the unbeaten colt Fracas will try and follow up in Friday's big race at Sandown.
In the past the Betfred Classic Trial has kicked off the Derby winning campaigns of the likes of Shergar, Troy and Shahrastani, but Wachman is viewing the mile and a quarter race as very much a finding-out mission.
"I intend to run Fracas. I need to find out where he slots in. The ground is on the slow side over there and he would probably prefer better going, but we will take our chance. Jamie rides," said the Cashel-based trainer yesterday.
Fracas won his maiden at Leopardstown just 10 days ago in good style but the runner-up, Down Mexico Way, was well beaten at the Curragh at the weekend.
Nevertheless, Fracas remains in the ante-post betting for the Epsom Derby and is a 40 to 1 shot with Paddy Power. Fracas will be the sole Irish challenger for the Group Three prize as Dermot Weld has all but ruled out Merger from travelling to Britain. The Presidential runner, Cairdeas, is also set to miss Saturday's Gordon Richards Stakes.
"It's unlikely we will go. Merger will go instead for a race at Naas on Saturday," Weld said. "Cairdeas has a lot of opportunities to pick from over the next few weeks, including the Mooresbridge and a Group race in France."
Some overnight rain at Punchestown has turned the ground officially "soft" with "soft to heavy" patches with less than a week to the start of the National Hunt festival. "The forecast for into the weekend is for localised showers which will be hit and miss. But at this stage it looks like the ground will be soft for the start of the festival on Tuesday," said the racing manager Richie Galway yesterday.
"It's very hard to be certain about what conditions will be like. I remember last year the ground was nearly heavy at this stage and by the Thursday of the festival we had to water. However, I don't see a situation like that this time," he added.
Robert Alner yesterday confirmed Kingscliff on target for a mouth-watering clash with Kicking King in the Guinness Gold Cup at next week's festival.
Irish Stallion Farms confirmed yesterday that they will be contributing 2 million in 2005 towards prize-money in Ireland through the European Breeders' Fund. That brings the total given since 1982 to 20 million.
Racing at Gowran this afternoon is dependent on the track passing a 7.00am inspection. It was judged raceable yesterday morning after a first inspection, but a showery forecast means another look will have to be taken. "Without any rain we could race now. But there are localised showers forecast. We will have to see what presents itself in the morning, but if it is like it is now then we will be able to race," said the Gowran manager Jane Williams.
If racing does go ahead there will be plenty waiting for Zarata's second career start in the mile and a half maiden. The Aga Khan-owned filly is by Sadler's Wells so the testing conditions should not be too intimidating while there was plenty to like about her Curragh debut when fifth to the subsequent Athasi winner, Hazariya.
That form will also be under the microscope in the nine-furlong maiden as Maria Luisa, runner-up to Hazariya, takes on a field that also includes Red Bandanna and the newcomer Fairy Of The Night.
However, preference is for Sweet Firebird who had a hard task at Clonmel when beaten only three-parts of a length by Deyrnia. That was over 10 furlongs so today's trip is not a problem.
Oodachee's run behind Saintly Rachel at the Curragh makes Charlie Swan's runner interesting in the last.
