Hope for Golan as rain hits Curragh

Ian Davies
Wednesday 27 June 2001 00:00 BST
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Golan's prospects of turning the tables on Galileo – who beat him at Epsom – in the Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday may have been enhanced by the showers that fell at the course yesterday.

The Derby runner-up was one of 20 left in the field for Sunday's IR£900,000 Classic yesterday, including Tobougg (third at Epsom) and Mr Combustible (fourth).

Grandera, third in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), has also been left in by James Fanshawe. Sir Michael Stoute's Dilshaan, seventh at Epsom, is a notable absentee.

John Oxx's Exaltation and the Michael Jarvis-trained Italian Derby winner Morshdi will take their chance after connections opted to pay the supplementary fee of IR£90,000 to add their runners to the field.

Oxx said: "He's in good form but it's a tough-looking race and I think everything you would expect is more or less left in. It's going to be tough to get in the money, but the horse is well and deserves to take his chance – he has place prospects."

Oxx was responsible for last season's winner Sinndar and is hopeful the mile-and-a-half trip on Sunday will be in Exaltation's favour. Oxx said: "He's a three-parts brother to Arc winner Saumarez so he should stay, although he hasn't tried that trip yet so we can't be sure. But on breeding I would be surprised if he didn't stay."

Exaltation landed the Gallinule Stakes in game fashion on his last outing having previously got within one and a half lengths of Galileo in the Derrinstown Stud Trial Stakes. Oxx said: "We'd be happy if we got that close to Galileo again."

Riding plans have yet to be finalised for the Sheikh Mohammed-owned colt, with Frankie Dettori in line for the mount if Godolphin's Tobougg does not run.

Golan's participation is thought to depend on easing of the ground at the Curragh, although owner Lord Weinstock is believed to be keen on the 2,000 Guineas winner facing up to Galileo once more. The encouraging news for Golan's connections is that showers did arrive at the Irish course yesterday, with the possibility of more to come later in the week.

Jason Morris, racecourse manager, said: "We've had 10.4mm of rain since early this morning, most of it falling before 8am, and we've had the odd shower since. There's a possibility of more heavy showers this evening but we'll have to see what we get. The forecast for the rest of the week is fairly unsettled with the possibility of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday but no more than 5mm expected on each of those days. Hopefully, it's then looking drier and brighter for the weekend."

The acceptors include four colts based in France, but there are some doubts surrounding how many, if any, will make the trip to Ireland. Irish bookmakers Cashmans make Galileo 2-5 favourite for the big race but have already seen each-way money for Oxx's Exaltation (14-1 from 25-1).

Chichicastenango, runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), beat Mizzen Mast in the Group One Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp yesterday afternoon.

The 10-furlong race had to be carried over from Sunday's card which fell victim to a lightning strike by the French pari-mutuel operators.

With no betting taking place, the race – once a jewel in the French calendar – was watched by a very sparse crowd, which was a shame as it proved a fascinating clash of tactics.

With only five runners, Richard Hughes set out to make all and poached a seven or eight-length lead on Mizzen Mast turning into the straight. But Alain Junk soon got to work on Chichicastenango, who began to reduce the deficit. As Mizzen Mast came to the end of his tether Chichicastenango deployed the speed and grit that had carried him to Group One victory already in the Prix Lupin, overhauling the front-runner to score by a length and a half in record time.

Bonnard, trained by Aidan O'Brien, took third, the same distance back, with stablemate Hans Anderson four lengths away in fourth and Okawango, last year's top rated French two-year-old, a disappointing last.

Trainer Philippe Demercastel, celebrating his second Group One win in a month, after a barren spell at the highest level since the days of Magic Night's Prix Vermeille success in 1991, said: "Chichicastenango is some horse, he's got speed and stamina. I'll put him away until September and wait for the Prix Niel."

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