Dual Irish St Leger winner,
Search For A Song, may bid to give Dermot Weld a ninth success in the Group 3
Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown on Friday.
A dozen entries stood their ground at the forfeit stage today for the 1m6f
contest which Weld has enjoyed notable success in, including with other
household names such as Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle.
The Moyglare Stud-owned six-year-old showed plenty of spark when second on her
seasonal debut at Navan last month. At Leopardstown on Friday, she may well
reoppose her conqueror from Navan, the fellow Moyglare Stud-owned Kyprios who
is one of two Aidan O’Brien-trained entries among the dozen
.
Weld said of his stable star: “We were delighted with Search For A Song in the
Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan and we have been delighted with her since, so she’s
ready to run.
“We will make a definite decision tomorrow as to whether or not she will run in
the Saval Beg as she is also entered in the Yorkshire Cup the same day, and in
a race in France the week after.
“She was second in the Saval Beg last year but hadn’t had the benefit of a run
on that occasion.
“It is a race I have done well in over the years and it is always a good race
but we will make the decision tomorrow.”
Aidan O’Brien has also left in Irish Derby third, Wordsworth, while Joseph
O’Brien may run the well-travelled Baron Samedi, who has run in Riyadh and
Dubai this year or 2019 Melbourne Cup fourth, Master Of Reality.
There is potential British representation on Friday evening with Roger Varian
possibly saddling Believe In Love, who won the Stanerra Stakes over course
and distance on her last cross-channel visit 10 months ago.
Longines Irish Champions Weekend winner Camorra is one of
three entries in the race for Ger Lyons who has also left in Phoenix Cowboy and
Team Of Firsts.
Tipperary trainer Andy Slattery is also double-handed in Friday’s feature with
Pineapple Express and Sunchart both among the confirmations, while the
potential line-up is completed by the Jim Bolger-trained Agitare.
Slattery said on Monday: “Pineapple Express ran a lovely race when third first
time out in the Noblesse Stakes. You could expect her to come on for that
normally but especially as she was in season so to get that important black
type was brilliant.
“These are the type of races we have mapped out for her for the year because
she’s rated 95 now so her handicapping days are over. And she showed in Cork,
she is not out of place in these kinds of races.
“She is stepping up two furlongs, but I don’t think that will be a problem. In fact,
I think that she might be better for that too. We’ll know a lot more after
Friday.
“The rain that’s coming will suit her and the same would apply to Sunchart. He
ran really well when just touched off a head by Wordsworth in Gowran Park and I
probably ran him back too quick in the Vintage Crop at Navan, because he just
wasn’t fully fit to start the season off and had a hard race.
“He’s in good form now though. He has a couple of other options too and we’ll
firm up the plans for him with the owner in the coming days.”
Visit www.leopardstown.com to
purchase tickets for the Feel Good Friday race day. In addition to the
exciting seven-race Flat card, there will be themed bars, with a DJ set,
cocktails and bubbles in the Legacy Lounge, live Irish trad music in Hurricane’s
Bar, delicious food options and more. The first race goes to post at 5.10pm.