Racing News:An international mix of runners is expected to remain in the running for Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby at today's vital entry stage but classic winners from England and France will definitely be at the Curragh for Saturday's Audi Pretty Polly Stakes where the hugely promising Timarwa will attempt the jump up to Group One level.
The John Oxx-trained filly is one of 13 fillies remaining in the main weekend support event after yesterday's forfeit stage at which the impressive French Oaks heroine West Wind was supplemented into the race at a cost of €25,000.
Frankie Dettori's suspension means that John Murtagh will take over on the Henri Pantall-trained runner who completed the French Derby-Oaks double in some style for Dettori earlier this month.
The double Guineas winner Finsceal Beo is also among the 13 remaining in the mile-and-a-quarter event but she is unlikely to start, having run at Ascot on Friday and with cut in the ground still a possibility for the Derby weekend.
The going on the round course at the Curragh is currently "good to yielding" and "yielding" on the straight and no significant change is expected before the weekend.
"We're forecast showers on Wednesday and then it is expected to be dry up to Friday evening when the festival starts," said the Curragh manager Paul Hensey yesterday.
"With intermittent showers forecast, it is very difficult to predict what's going to happen but it is possible we could get to good ground."
Surface conditions are not an issue with Timarwa who won her maiden in impressive fashion at the Curragh on her last start having refused to enter the stalls at Leopardstown before that.
"We have had high hopes for her and she won a good maiden in good style. But it is a much bigger ball game altogether in a Group One. It's asking a lot, and she needs to go on a bit to win a Group One on just her third start, but she is in good shape and the plan is to run," Oxx said yesterday.
"She ran a good race on desperate ground at Navan last year so I don't think she is too bothered by going and so far, it's a case of so good with her," he added.
As well as West Wind, last year's English 1,000 Guineas heroine Speciosa will bring classic winning form to the Pretty Polly where the Epsom Oaks runner-up Peeping Fawn will represent Aidan O'Brien. Dimenticata, runner-up to Finsceal Beo in the Irish Guineas, is another possible three-year-old runner in this clash of the generations.
There will be huge interest to see how many remain in the Derby at today's forfeit stage but the Curragh authorities are expecting a strong challenge from France with the Prix du Jockey Club third, Shamdinan, a possible runner for the Aga Khan.
Another possible traveller from France is the Andre Fabre-trained Royal Regal, owned by Peter Savill and Sue Magnier, who won a Listed race last time out and was runner-up to Anton Chekhov before that.
Last Friday's King Edward VII Stakes winner Boscobel may be supplemented into Ireland's richest race at a cost of €150,000 by Sheikh Mohammed, while as many as four runners could end up representing Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle team.
Eagle Mountain, runner-up to Authorized at Epsom, is expected to be installed a general favourite to go one better and secure O'Brien a fifth Derby victory.
A total of 11 runners remain in the Saturday's Attheraces Curragh Cup, including Anthon Chekhov, a Group Two winner in France earlier in the year, who failed to fire as part of O'Brien's eight-strong team in the Epsom Derby.
O'Brien is represented by three fillies at the entry stage for the Friday feature, the Listed Saoirse Stakes, including Savethelastdanceforme, who was third on her Leopardstown debut.
Both Al Eile and the Tony Martin-trained Leg Spinner remain among the possibles for Saturday's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle where John Queally's runner will attempt to add a big flat prize to his three Grade One victories over hurdles at Aintree.
