Chaparral big danger, says Oxx
“It is a drop down for him and we’re going to have to see how he copes,” he said.
“He was pretty good at a mile and a quarter earlier in the year but obviously he’s come on since then, so it’s hard to base any precdiction on his early-season form.
“He’s taking on a horse like Falbrav that’s a mile and a quarter specialist and an all-round top-class field, so it’s going to be a tough race.”
Oxx also rates High Chaparral as one of the big dangers to the three-year-old.
“You would have to fear him. He’s had an early-season break which can sometimes work in your favour, so he’s now coming to his peak and has been trained for the autumn. And he ran very well last time,” he added.
“I’m sure he’s come on for that and I would say he’ll be there or thereabouts. He’s a good horse.”
Alamshar will be partnered by regular rider Johnny Murtagh, who made a successful comeback from a short break at Limerick on Wednesday night.
“It’s good news, obviously. You don’t want to be changing jockey at the last minute on a horse like this and a race like this, which is at Leopardstown, too, which is a tricky little place,” said Oxx.
“We are very happy to have him back. He’s in great shape and looking forward to the race.”
Aidan O’Brien is also full of hope for High Chaparral, a dual Derby winner and Breeders’ Cup Turf winner last year.
The son of Sadler’s Wells did not return to the track until the beginning of August after suffering a bruised shoulder in the spring and O’Brien believes he will improve again for the race.
He said: “We hope High Chaparral will run well and that we will have him for the next day. He’s as well as we can have him for tomorrow.”
O’Brien will walk the track today before deciding whether to run the four-year-old.
The Ballydoyle handler refuted any suggestion that he had influenced Leopardstown’s decision.
He said: “We have not tried to put pressure on anybody to water. I have said all along that High Chaparral will run if the ground is safe, and he will do so if I am happy when I have walked the track in the morning.”
Kieren Fallon partners the Michael Stoute-trained Islington in the race.
The four-year-old filly bounced back to form after some disappointing showings earlier in the season by taking the Group One Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks in impressive style at York last time.
Fallon knows Islington faces a tough task and he is hoping there is no rain before the race. “I think if she’s back to her best she’s very capable. With the likes of Falbrav, we’ll see if she’s up to it.”
Meanwhile, John Oxx has defended the decision to water the track.
Watering changed the going to ‘good’ from ‘good to firm’ on Thursday, which was met with dismay by Falbrav’s jockey Darryll Holland, as his mount likes a sound surface.
Oxx said: “Leopardstown have a very, very consistent record of producing good, safe ground and they’re just doing what they always do for every day of the year during the summer.
“They always produce ground that has the jar out of it and they’re just doing the same now. I don’t want to see the ground turn soft, but I’m not worried about what’s going on. I think they’re doing it perfectly.
“The ground would be just good, safe ground I imagine, as it always is, so I wouldn’t be concerned at all.”
Holland felt the watering may have given an advantage to those horses in the field who like some cut in the ground and that Falbrav may be at a disadvantage.
Tom Burke, racing manager at the track, has held firm despite Holland’s criticism. He is more than satisfied with the going, now officially described as good to firm.
“I am perfectly happy it’s safe ground, absolutely so. We have had no rain and although it’s overcast we had to lightly water the track this morning,” he said.
“It’s good to firm. The ground at the moment is the way we had hoped it would be from earlier in the week.”
Cashmans betting: 11/8 Alamshar, 5/2 Falbrav, 4/1 High Chaparral, 9/1 Vintage Tipple, 12/1 Islington, 14/1 Moon Ballad, 66/1 France.
