RACING NEWS:THE IRISH 1,000 Guineas heroine Again looks like being kept to a mile for the time being with trainer David Wachman yesterday indicating that Friday week's Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot will be her next start.
Wachman bypassed the Epsom Oaks with the Danehill Dancer filly due to the short gap between that race and the Curragh Classic where Again overhauled Lahaleeb in the final strides.
However, the option of stepping her up to 10 furlongs for the Pretty Polly Stakes over the Derby weekend at the Curragh looks to have been shelved although another Classic attempt on the Irish Oaks is still very much in Wachman’s thoughts.
“The intention at the moment is the Coronation at Ascot though we will be keeping an eye on ground conditions there,” the Co Tipperary-based trainer said.
“I certainly wouldn’t have any problems about stepping her up in trip afterwards. The Irish Oaks would be on the agenda too,” he added.
Less clear at this stage is who will be on board Again at Ascot as the five-day ban Johnny Murtagh picked up in last Friday’s Coronation Cup currently rules him out of the final two days of the Royal Ascot festival.
Murtagh will know his fate later today as his appeal is due to be heard at the British Horseracing Authority headquarters at 2pm.
“We will have to see what happens with Johnny but failing that we will have to sort something out after talking to the owners,” Wachman said.
Murtagh’s ban currently also rules him out of the Golden Jubilee Stakes in which Bushranger is set to take on an international collection of top sprinters in the six-furlong Group One.
“There are a lot of overseas horses coming and they all seem to be aeroplanes from what we hear,” Wachman added. “But Bushranger is in good form and we hope to run. It will be tough for a three year old but Kingsgate Native won it last year so it’s not impossible.”
Sunday’s Group Three feature at Cork will be the Kerry Group Noblesse Stakes over a mile and a half which has last year’s Melbourne Cup fifth Profound Beauty among its 13 entries after yesterday’s forfeit stage.
The sole British entry is Kevin Ryan’s Les Fazzani but Derby-winning trainer John Oxx has three hopefuls including Roses For The Lady.
The Wachman team also have three hopefuls – Always Beautiful, Latin Love and Silk Mascara – and the trainer said: “We will work them in the morning and make plans. But there is a broken forecast for the week ahead and all three could run.”
The going on the round course at Cork yesterday was good to firm.
