Fallon fears Kitten's

Kieren Fallon fears Kitten’s Joy will be hard to beat in the Arlington Million tomorrow as Powerscourt attempts to put the record straight after being disqualified from first place 12 months ago.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge, drawn nine this time compared to 10 last year, was demoted to fourth after hanging badly left when powering home by a length and a half from Kicken Kris in the hands of Jamie Spencer.

Fallon is in the saddle in Chicago this time, although Powerscourt is on a losing streak having been beaten in all his nine races since then.

He did, however, run a good race when third to Better Talk Now and Kitten’s Joy in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on his last visit to the States in October.

Those two are again in opposition with the Dale Romans-trained four-year-old Kitten’s Joy likely to start favourite from stall one in a 10-strong field.

He was an impressive winner of the Secretariat Stakes on this card last August and showed he had made a full recovery from knee surgery when winning a Grade Two contest at Churchill Downs last month.

Fallon said: “Powerscourt felt great this morning. The track seems to be on the soft side which will definitely suit him.”

Asked about Powerscourt’s behaviour last year, he said: “Powerscourt has a tendency to shift left or right. But I think it had more to do with the whip last year.

“He was running away from the whip, which caused him to go so violently left and he ended up losing the race. He had proved he was the best horse in the race.

“I think it is a much tougher race than last year. Kitten’s Joy is going to be very hard to beat. I have watched all of his races and he is a very good horse. He’s got the best draw – drawn down by the rail.

“But I am happy now that we have got some rain, that will suit my horse.”

“Powerscourt loves to travel. He ran a great race in the Breeders’ Cup but I think he might have gone a fraction too soon.

“You won’t get a much better race than that – Kitten’s Joy was in the same race. I know Kitten’s Joy got injured that day and he didn’t show his true potential.

“He’s been sharpened up over the mile since and I just think he will be very hard to beat, but if anything will beat him it will be Powerscourt.”

O’Brien and Fallon are going all out for glory with bids in the other two feature races.

Mona Lisa, their representative in the 750,000 Beverly D Stakes, will come out of stall five against her nine rivals.

The daughter of Giant’s Causeway, one of only two three-year-olds in the field, finally got off the mark at the 11th try in a Listed race at the Curragh two weeks ago.

“Mona Lisa is in great form, but I would have to worry about the ground. She is a top of the ground filly,” Fallon said. “If the ground was to dry out and we got better ground, I would give her a great chance because she is a good filly.

“She has run some great races over a mile at home and she ended up winning a Listed race before she came over.

“She is going the right way, she is getting better and better. She is a tough, strong filly.”

The two British-trained four-year-old fillies, Sundrop and Tarfah, have fared well with the draw being in stalls one and two respectively.

Sundrop, owned by Godolphin and the mount of Mark Guidry, had Tarfah back in fifth when runner-up to Peeress at Royal Ascot at York.

However, Tarfah’s trainer Gerard Butler believes it could be different this time.

“It probably centres on Megahertz as she is a top-class filly and is holding her form very strongly. The other filly of Bobby Frankel’s, Melhor Ainda, along with her, are probably the two top fillies in the race,” Butler told At The Races.

“After that I think the race is quite open. Sundrop finished ahead of us at York but I think that we can get a lot closer to her and I am very keen on our filly.

“She has settled in very well and was out on the track on Wednesday and there were no problems at all, so I am sure that she will give a very good account.

“I’ll leave the tactics up to Darryll (Holland), but she will be in the first three or four saving ground as much as possible. All of those very good fillies love kicking off the last bend, but I am sure Darryll will be aware of this.”

Holland is hopeful of a good run.

He said: “Tarfah has had a walk round the track, has been in the stalls and is getting accustomed to what she has got to do.

“I think the pace of the race will suit her as she does show a nice turn of foot off a strong gallop, and she is sure to get that in the Beverly D.”

Grand Central will be having his last run for O’Brien in the Secretariat Stakes having been sold to race in Hong Kong.

The Sadler’s Wells colt was only ninth in the Vodafone Derby, but got off the mark for the season in a four-runner affair at Leopardstown last month.

Holland will be aboard Ireland’s other runner, the Dermot Weld-trained Merger, who is drawn six. He was sixth in the American Derby on this course last month.

English Channel, Purim and Gun Salute – drawn one, two and three respectively - are the main local hopes in the 10-furlong contest.