The going is sure to be testing at Tipperary this evening where an all-Flat card kicks off a two-day meeting.

The ground is described as heavy (soft in places) for the seven-race fixture which gets underway at 5.15pm, while there is a mixed card tomorrow evening.

The going is currently soft (heavy in places) on the hurdle track at Tipperary.

Meanwhile the Curragh hosts a potentially highly-informative meeting next Monday with the prospect of Camelot and Parish Hall meeting in the Mooresbridge Stakes.

There is further Group 3 action on the card with fillies going on trial for the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas in the Athasi Stakes.

The going is currently yielding to soft on the round course and soft on the straight course.

Former Classic-placed colt Reply takes a big drop in class at Tipperary this evening as he seeks his first success in 19 months.

Aidan O'Brien's charge was good enough to finish third behind Power in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last year, but his form tailed off since and he was last seen when last in the Golden Shaheen in Dubai last month.

The Ballydoyle handler is evidently looking for a confidence-boosting win and it will be disappointing if he cannot account for his rivals in the Follow Tipperary Races On Facebook Race

O'Brien also sends Line Drummer to the track for the Fundraising Events At Tipperary Races Handicap, and he will be aiming to pick up where he left off after winning a heavy-ground heat over course and distance at the end of last term.

He may lack the edge over recent Limerick scorer Diesel Ten and Caesaria, who backed up his Curragh triumph with a third placing at Naas.

There could be several duels between O'Brien and Dermot Weld on the card, with choicely bred newcomers Freewheel and Resolute Response locking horns in the Events At Tipperary Racecourse Maiden.

Weld's recent Naas victor Pay Day Kitten tackles the O'Brien-trained Kingdom in the Follow TipperaryRaces On Twitter Handicap.

However, Kingdom was put in his place by Jim Bolger's Morning With Ivan when the pair clashed at Leopardstown, and a 5lb pull in the weights may not be enough for him to gain his revenge.

O'Brien sends two for the Book Online At TipperaryRaces.ie Maiden, with newcomer Victory Song joined by Agreement.

Hurricane Sky and Benalex Park both won at Gowran on Sunday and now clash under 5lb penalties in the TipperaryRaces.com Handicap, while The Four Elms is aiming to supplement a Limerick win in the Youth Raceday On 6th June Handicap.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Moth has been added to the field for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at the six-day declaration stage after being supplemented at a cost of £30,000.

Unconsidered for the race at 66/1 before her reappearance victory in a Curragh maiden, that success was evidently enough to see connections decide to throw her into the mix at Newmarket.

Stablemates Magical Dream and Snow Queen have also been left in the contest as possible starters, but it is the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Hot Snap, the winner of the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, who heads the betting.

Runner-up Sky Lantern and third-home Winning Express are set to re-oppose from that race, while another leading fancy Just The Judge was also in action at the Craven meeting - but only in order to take part in a racecourse gallop.

French-trained possibles What A Name and Celtic Filly are both possible starters among a field of 18.

 

Indian Chief showed an impressive turn of foot to win the opening race at Leopardstown this evening, the Bulmers Live Summer Racedays 2013 3yo Maiden, for Aidan & Joseph O’Brien.

Sent off the 4/7 favourite, the son of Montjeu, had just one run last year finishing second to subsequent French Group 1 winner Loch Garman at Navan.

His debut run was over a mile and stepped up in trip to one and a quarter miles today he was settled in rear as Dubai Deer attempted to make all under Chris Hayes for Paul Deegan.

Indian Chief made smooth progress as they turned for home and once Joseph O’Brien asked him to go on, he quickly went to the front inside the final furlong, going on to score comfortably by two lengths.

Dubai Deer ran a fine race to finish second at 8/1 while so did the Jessica Harrington trained newcomer Protestant, who finished a further length and a half back in third at 25/1 under Fran Berry.

Aidan O'Brien said afterwards: "I was afraid as last year he ran into Jim's horse (Loch Garman) and he emptied out.

"For a Montjeu colt he has plenty of speed. They went a steady gallop and he quickened up well. Being dropped in last in a slowly run race you might think it’s not the right place to be but he picked up easily.

"He might be a Dante (Dante Stakes, York May 16th) horse and the fellow who won here yesterday (Battle Of Marengo) might come back here."

The winner is now 20/1 (from 33's) with Stan James for the Derby.

(Additional reporting by Gary Carson)

 

Aidan O'Brien concedes he is "fighting time" in his bid to get Kingsbarns to the Investec Derby.

Already ruled out of the Qipco 2000 Guineas, it is hoped the winter favourite for the premier Classic could still make a Derby trial but the Ballydoyle trainer revealed any prep race would be left as close to the June 1 Epsom showpiece as possible.

O'Brien told At The Races: "We dreamed he could have been a Triple Crown horse this year, but that wasn't to be.

"He was always the horse we were dreaming about but things haven't gone well with him, we hoped to have him at the Curragh (to gallop) a couple of weeks ago, but he didn't make it and we are just struggling a little bit to get him 100 per cent.

"He's in the pool a lot and we are trying to catch up. He's no chance of making the Guineas, anyway.

"You can never be confident (of getting to the Derby) and I'd imagine it (a Derby trial) will be a late one, because it is time we are fighting with him. It (a trial) will probably be as close to the Derby as we can get because we want to give him as much time to get back as we can really.

"It's far from ideal that we got stopped when we did, he was totally stopped for 10 days. We are forcing as much as we can without risking the horse because we always thought he was very special."

 

El Salvador completed a hat-trick this year when making all in the mile and a half Summer Twilight Nights Race to complete a double on the day for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.

Successful on his previous two outings on the polytrack at Dundalk, the Galileo colt coped very well with the much different ground conditions here and dictated matters from the front.

The well-backed evens favourite Voleuse De Coeurs travelled well into the straight but last year’s Cesarewitch winner was unable to make any inroads into the two-length advantage held by the winner.

El Salvador (15/8) stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to record a two and a quarter lengths winning margin, with Chicago another five and a half lengths adrift in third.

The field was reduced to just four runners after Encrypted Message (lame) and Military Bowl (change in ground conditions) were both taken out.

Aidan O’Brien said, “That isn't his ground and he wants it better. There is a big engine in there and I'd say he is a fair horse. He kept picking up and picking up and he'll come back here for the Martin Molony Stakes (on June 21)."

The O’Brien’s earlier initiated their double with 2/7 chance Marchese Marconi in the mile and three furlongs maiden.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

Odds-on punters had their fingers burned twice earlier in the evening but Marchese Marconi, who failed when a 1/5 favourite at Dundalk last week, had few worries in justifying odds of 2/7 in the mile and three furlongs maiden.

Trained in Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by his son Joseph, the Galileo colt was sent to the front off the home turn.

He galloped on strongly in the testing ground to comfortably account for chief market rival Prima Vista (7/2) by four and a quarter lengths, with newcomer Vimkeeping on late to take third another eight lengths adrift.

Aidan O’Brien said, “He was very raw and babyish in Dundalk and the cheek-pieces just helped him to concentrate. He was a long time off before the Dundalk run and the ground might have been an issue - he was staying on to the line then though.”

Joseph O’Brien commented, “He’s a big immature horse who will improve with racing. Hopefully he can progress up through the ranks, and who knows where he’ll wind up. He’s a fine big horse.

“He was a bit lazy and idle last time, and probably a bit green as well. He had the cheek-pieces today and they just helped him to travel.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

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Aidan and Joseph O'Brien doubled their tally in the bookings@dundalkstadium.com Handicap when Count Of Limonade put up a good performance to score, adding to the earlier Ballydoyle gains with Master

Speaker.

The betting wasn't much help to punters in the four runner affair as David Wachman's Love And Cherish was the one for money, contracting into 4/5 from 6/4 this morning.

In the face of that support, Count Of Limonade went in the opposite direction, from 5/4 in the offices first thing out to a starting price of 2/1.

Champion Joseph O'Brien kept things simple from the front on the top-weight and he eventually won going away from Love And Cherish, by two and a half lengths.

Aidan O'Brien summed up things by saying: "I'm delighted with that. Those Dukes (sire Duke Of Marmalade) seem to improve from two to three.

"He won twice last year with good tough performances. The Duke was like that himself – a hardy, tough horse.

"He'll step up to a conditions or a listed race and he wouldn't mind going a mile and a quarter."

Fergal Lynch weighed in 1.9 pounds over-weight on the third placed Eusepio and he received a one day ban as it was his second offence of this nature.(GC & EM)

 

 

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Once the penny dropped Ruler Of The Worldshowed a good turn of foot to wear downManalapan in the three-year-old maiden and give Aidan and Joseph O’Brien a double at the Curragh.

The winning distance at the end of a mile and a quarter was a comfortable three parts of a length and Aidan O’Brien thinks he could be a horse with a future: “I’m delighted with that horse. He had a few little setbacks and that’s why he didn’t run at two.

“He’s lazy and he just does what he has to. We’ll step him up gradually. He’ll go for a conditions race next and we’ll go gently with him.

“He’s a lovely horse, a sleepy horse and there could be anything in there.”

Manalapan had forged on for home and only got caught close to the home. He was returned at 25/1 and was seven and a half lengths clear of St Jean in third also at 25/1.

Hudson’s Bay was the uneasy even money favourite (8/15 in morning trading). He had been fractious in the parade ring and reluctant to load and finished fourth.

There was an on course gamble on John Oxx’s unraced Jumaira Tower – 16/1 to 6/1. However, he was never dangerous in eighth.

Aidan and Joseph O'Brien had a Curragh double with Moth and Ruler Of The World.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

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Moth propelled herself into the Classic picture when running out an impressive winner of the fillies maiden at the Curragh this afternoon.

Joseph O'Brien settled the Galileo filly behind the leaders in the early stages before pulling wide for a run over a furlong out.

The 11/8 favourite quickened smartly to hit the front inside the final furlong and went away in the closing stages to post a four-and-a-half length winning margin.

The winner had been beaten favourite on two starts last term. She could now be supplemented for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

“She did it well. We thought she was nice last year but she got beat a few times,” said Aidan O'Brien afterwards.

“Obviously I was giving the wrong instructions and instead of making use of her she should have been held up.

“She's able to change gears. It was a slow run race and she came from behind which I imagine wouldn't have suited. She quickened up well.

“She could go for a trial or head straight to Newmarket for the Guineas. It depends on what happens.”

Moth has been introduced at 16/1 for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket by Stan James.

O'Brien also reported his colts on course for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

“The wheels are still on! Mars is still going that way and I'm very happy with Cristoforo Colombo. We also have George Vancouver and Pedro The Great and they are all still standing so far.”