Salmon to leap at Limerick
The eight-year-old finished fourth to Best Mate in last year’s blue riband but showed himself to be completely over a lingering back problem when cruising to victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup in April.
Trainer Michael Hourigan had been considering bringing the gelding, who is a general 10-1 chance for Cheltenham glory, back at Gowran Park Park today, but has elected to run at his ‘local’ track instead.
“He’ll run on Sunday and Timmy Murphy will ride - the horse is in good form,” said the trainer.
“He’ll have to give two stone to other good horses on the day but he has to start somewhere.”
“Why not start him on home territory where he’ll run on fresh ground, and it will give the local crowds a chance to see him.
“He worked on Tuesday at home and then had a hack at Limerick yesterday on the schooling track and will do some light work tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, jockey David Casey will be sidelined for at least week following a fall yesterday morning.
Casey sustained a fracture of his right wrist in a fall when schooling for trainer Tom Taaffe.
Turf Club Medical Officer Walter Halley explained: “David has a crack fracture of his right wrist and will be in plaster for two weeks. He’ll have to see orthopaedic surgeon Paddy Kenny at that stage, when his situation will be reviewed.”
Elsewhere, Aidan O’Brien is likely to have a crack at the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Powerscourt at Lone Star Park in Texas later this month.
The four-year-old could face a tough task in the October 30 contest, though, as his rivals may include last year’s winner Pleasantly Perfect and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Bago.
Powerscourt was ruled out of last weekend’s Longchamp showpiece with lameness, but O’Brien said yesterday: “He is back cantering.
“When we step up his work we’ll have to see how much the hold up might have set him back, but at this stage he is a possible for the Breeders’ Cup.
“We will just have to wait and see. He could run in the Turf, but he will probably also be entered for the Classic.”
O’Brien is also considering running St Leger third Tycoon in the Breeders’ Cup Turf after he finished behind Kitten’s Joy, the new favourite for that race, in a Grade One contest at Belmont last Saturday.
O’Brien added that Yesterday, fourth in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp on Sunday, is to be aimed at the Filly And Mare Turf, a race in which she ran third behind Islington at Santa Anita a year ago.
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; 9/4 Tittans Joy, 8/1 Powerscourt, 8/1 Star Over The Bay, 10/1 Magistretti, 10/1 Kicken Kris, 10/1 Sulamani, 10/1 Fabiango, 16/1 Better Talk Now, 16/1 Dalixar, 16/1 Prospect Park.
