Racing/News round-up: Dermot Weld yesterday delivered a verdict of "perfect" on the state of the going at Epsom ahead of Saturday's Derby.
It came on the back of 4mms of rain at the track yesterday which left the going "good" and left the clerk of the course in optimistic form.
"At the moment it is the sort of ground I would want it on Derby day," said Andrew Cooper.
"Ideally, if I could choose, it would be good and good to firm in places but what is important is that it is safe. Dermot Weld has used that word a lot and I know it is important to Aidan O'Brien too," he added.
Weld's concern now is that rain forecast for tomorrow could change the state of the going too much.
"I would like a little bit to keep it right but not too much because, as is well known, my worry is that Refuse To Bend won't stay," he said.
Refuse To Bend's ante-post position was more solid yesterday after confirmation of a satisfactory work out on Tuesday and the state of the ground at Epsom.
However, Brian Boru remains a 3 to 1 favourite and Paddy Power rate Aidan O'Brien's chances of completing the Oaks-Derby double at just 13 to 2.
Alamshar's trainer John Oxx was less happy about the going reports and said: "Four millimetres is enough to make an impact but there's nothing I can do and there are a few days to go. But fast ground would allow Alamshar use his pace."
A total of 15 fillies have been declared for tomorrow's fillies classic including O'Brien's 2 to 1 favourite Yesterday and her stable companion L'ancresse.
Michael Kinane, Pat Smullen and John Murtagh all miss out on the delights of Clonmel this evening and in their absence the jockey to follow could be Pat Cosgrave.
The young rider is on Zerotta in the opening handicap which is a 0-60 event that could be won by a reproduction of a fourth to Maigue Princess at Gowran on Sunday.
Cosgrave is on the Roscommon fourth Stratosphere in the maiden while Dusseldorf can make it four from the last five in the mile and a half handicap.
Black Sam Bellamy, impressive winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup last time, heads the field for tomorrow's Coronation Cup at Epsom. The Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old, a full-brother to Galileo, will face nine rivals in the race. Trainer Mark Johnston will be double-handed with both Bandari and Zindabad set to line up.
