RACING: There will be an even greater focus than normal on the Ballydoyle runners at Gowran tonight after confirmation that the coughing bug at the world-famous yard has spread to the two-year- old squad.
Both Hold That Tiger and Ontario have been coughing since their disappointing efforts in the Phoenix Stakes on Sunday but Aidan O'Brien is not going to call a halt to plans because of it. "If the horses are ready to race, and if the tests on them are clear, then we will let them run," the trainer said yesterday.
"No one knows when this will end and the situation is more or less the same, except for Hold That Tiger and Ontario coughing. The rest of the two-year-olds seem to be okay and we are monitoring things day by day.
"It's also more or less the same with the three-year-olds. Rock Of Gibraltar hasn't coughed but he is on a break and so far Quarter Moon seems fine. But we will be playing it by ear with all of them," he added.
The impact of the bug on the champion trainer in the senior ranks is reflected in him having none of the 14 entries for Sunday's Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown.
The Moyglare runner-up, Dress To Thrill, and Godolphin's Atlantis Prince head the Desmond entries, while the double-Leger winner Vinnie Roe is in the Ballyroan Stakes.
O'Brien has, however, eight of the entries for the two-year-old maiden at Leopardstown and they include the two colts expected to make their first starts in the divisions of the seven-furlong maiden at Gowran this evening.
The Sadler's Wells colt, Cougar and Russia, a son of Kingmambo, are reported "clear" by their trainer but many will be prepared to adopt a watching brief.
Twogoodreasons ran on extremely well in the closing stages of his debut at Galway when third to Abunawwas on bad ground. The going forecast of "good" can only be to his advantage in the first division.
John Oxx runs Kossu, fourth to European on his debut in the second part and the experience could be important against Russia.
Oxx has reported Ridakaya as his only possible runner at York next week, in the Galtres Stakes, a festival where Jim Bolger's Naas scorer Danaskaya could go for the Lowther Stakes over six furlongs.
Irish entries in England this weekend include the David Wachman-trained two-year-old New Design in the listed St Hugh's Stakes at Newbury.
Michael Kinane leads Kevin Manning by 11 in the jockeys' table and he should be on the mark in the fillies maiden with Sonorous. Kinane was on Ulysees when only the subsequent winner, Blatant, divided Ulysees and Sonorous at Galway.
Albatros, runner-up to Ansar over fences at Galway, can successfully revert to the flat in the mile and a half handicap; and Davy Russell's presence on Secret Native in the last looks significant.
