Johnson Houghton mulling Irish plans

Eve Johnson Houghton could launch a double raid on the Curragh this weekend with stable stars The Cheka and Fontley.

The Cheka has been running consistently well this season, winning the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on his penultimate start, and could return the Ireland for the Minstrel Stakes on Saturday.

Fontley finished second to the improving Law Of The Range in a Listed race at Pontefract last week and could run in the Kilboy Estate Stakes on Sunday.

There are 17 possibles for the Minstrel Stakes, including Jessica Harrington’s Pathfork.

“Good ground would be fine for The Cheka, but at this stage it’s a bit early to say for sure whether he’ll definitely run. It’s certainly an option,” said Johnson Houghton.

“His last run looks better now with Libranno running so well in the July Cup and it was a bit of a muddle of a race.

“He had to come over to join them and they had the run of it, and possibly he wasn’t as good as he can be, that happens.

“He was giving the winner a stone at the end of the day but perhaps he wasn’t quite as sparkly as he was at Haydock.

“I’ll have a good look at it. I’ll also look at the Kilboy for Fontley.

“She came out of her Pontefract race well but she needs a really strong pace over a mile which you don’t get in Listed races so we’ll look at stepping her up in trip.”