Racing/News round-up: The bookmakers rate Grey Swallow as Doyen's main threat in Saturday's Baileys Irish Champion Stakes but the colt's trainer, Dermot Weld, was at pains yesterday to emphasise that the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe remains a major target for the Irish Derby winner.
Another warm day in south Dublin yesterday resulted in the expected start of watering at Leopardstown with the track getting an hour-long session from the sprinklers. Nevertheless the going officially remained "good to firm".
The Leopardstown racing manager Tom Burke reported: "It got very firm over the weekend so we've started watering. The forecast is for dry weather until Friday when showers are expected. But they could be very hit and miss. At this stage I would be happy with good-to-firm ground on the day."
Although Grey Swallow won the Irish Derby on going that was officially good to firm, very fast conditions might not be completely to his liking and Weld hasn't given up hope conditions might ease even further.
"I have every confidence in the Leopardstown management that they will be able to provide good ground. All horses want good. It's fair to everyone," the Curragh trainer said before outlining his Arc de Triomphe plans.
"The Arc is a main target and it comes up only three weeks after Leopardstown so I have to keep that in mind. The Champion Stakes will not be his last run of the year, hopefully, and while it would be wonderful to win, it is a race on the way to the Arc."
Grey Swallow's position as a 9 to 2 second favourite for Saturday remains unchanged but the classic generation have a terrible record in the Champion Stakes recently with only Giants Causeway in 2000 winning for the three-year-olds in the last decade.
That statistic will be of some encouragement to the Rakti team whose wish for fast ground looks to be coming through while Clive Brittain hasn't ruled out giving Warrsan a quick reappearance after his Group One triumph at Baden-Baden on Sunday.
John Oxx expressed confidence in Azamour's ability to stay the Champion Stakes trip and said: "He has been running on over a mile and this should be right up his street. The step up in trip should not be a problem. The horse has to have dry ground so we hope it stays dry."
The connections of the French star Bago confirm the colt is on target for Leopardstown while Aidan O'Brien said he would have no concerns about fast ground for Powerscourt.
"He doesn't mind it quick and so far everything is good with him," said O'Brien, who hasn't finalised plans for the other Group One targets throughout Europe at the weekend.
"We are going to give ourselves a little more time before deciding which of ours run in the Leger although Two Miles West would like a little cut in the ground.
"Fast ground would have to be a big worry for Baraka and a little worry for Yesterday in the Matron Stakes. We have the Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday as an option but apparently it's quickening up over there too," he said yesterday.
One trainer who will be delighted at the prospect of quick conditions is Mark Johnston who had made a going proviso about Attraction's appearance in the Coolmore Stud Matron Stakes.
Attraction will be renewing Falmouth Stakes rivalry with the four-year-old Soviet Song and Cashmans have introduced match betting with Soviet rated a 4-to-6 favourite to again beat Attraction (6 to 5).
The Turf Club announced yesterday the two chase races at Downpatrick on Friday week have been abandoned as the chase course is not fit for racing.
Jane Williams has been appointed as general manager of Gowran Park. Williams, who has worked in the equestrian industry for the past 15 years, was previously employed at Gowran from 1989 to 1992.
