RACING: The top French pair Hurricane Run and Walk In The Park look to dominate Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby but the Curragh authorities are still banking on a decent sized field for Ireland's premier classic.
Only a handful of horses have been committed to the Derby ahead of today's vital forfeit stage but the prize money on offer looks sure to bring more into the big race equation.
Hurricane Run, a 1 to 2 ante-post favourite with Cashmans, is now set to be ridden by Kieren Fallon after a weekend deal by Coolmore Stud which sees the colt staying in the Andre Fabre yard and leased to his old owner for Sunday.
The Clive Brittain-trained Bahar Shumaal is expected to be supplemented into the race today at a cost of €95,000 but fears of the smallest Derby field since Generous beat only five opponents in 1991 were being played down yesterday.
"It will only cost 3,000 to stay in the race at the forfeit stage and when you consider there is €13,000 for finishing 10th on Sunday then I'm sure people will see it makes economic sense to think about running," said the Curragh manager Paul Hensey yesterday.
Watering began at the Curragh yesterday morning ahead of the weekend action and the current ground conditions of " good to firm" are expected to continue.
"We have had very little rain over the weekend and the forecast is for humid, heavy weather and no significant rain. The objective is to provide safe quick ground," Hensey added.
That kind of surface will hold no fears for the Irish Guineas heroine Saoire who was one of 19 fillies left in Saturday's Audi Pretty Polly Stakes after yesterday's acceptance stage.
A total of eight of the 19 acceptors are older fillies and they include Alexander Goldrun as well as last year's Irish Oaks third Hazarista who will be having her first start of 2005.
The potential field also includes the Moyglare winner Chelsea Rose but there will be a lot of attention on Saoire who steps up to a mile and a quarter for the first time.
"I don't think quick ground will be a problem," said Saoire's trainer Frances Crowley yesterday.
Less certain is the matter of who will ride Saoire. Michael Kinane rode the Joe Joyce-owned filly in the Curragh Guineas last month but he is likely to be claimed for Hazarista while Pat Smullen may be claimed for Dream To Dress.
Frances Crowley will have a keen interest in the six-furlong handicap at Ballinrobe this evening where her husband Pat Smullen teams up with Tofana. There was plenty to like about the way this one kept on to be third to Sister Sox at Navan.
Her father, Joe Crowley, could also visit the winners enclosure as the hat-trick seeking Amisina will be hard to beat in the mares handicap hurdle. She is over a stone higher than when winning at Wexford but still looks one to follow.
