Soprano aiming to hit high note Paul Deegan's prolific mare Midnight Soprano tests the water at Pattern level for the first time in the At The Races Curragh Cup on Sunday. The five-year-old signed off her 2011 campaign with victory at Navan and she is unbeaten in four starts this term. She beat subsequent Gold Cup third Saddler's Rock, as well as talented filly Unaccompanied, in the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown on her latest appearance. That performance prompted connections to supplement their mare for this weekend's Group Three prize and Deegan is confident she can repay their faith. "We're looking forward to it. It's a good race but we've supplemented her for it, which obviously cost a few quid, so we're hopeful she'll run very well," said Deegan. "She came out of the Saval Beg really well and I think she might have come forward again from that run. "Everyone thinks the Saval Beg run was a bit of a fluke, and maybe it was, but we don't think so. "Her form stacks up well. She's won her last five, including a Listed race on her last start, so she definitely deserves her place in a race like this. "The ground probably isn't ideal, but I think she handles it better than most, so fingers crossed she runs a big race." Dermot Weld's Moyglare Stud-owned mare Sense Of Purpose makes her seasonal reappearance in the one-mile-six-furlong test. Racing manager Stan Cosgrove reports the five-year-old to be in rude health, but he is concerned about the prospect of testing conditions. Cosgrove said: "Sense Of Purpose has never been better but unfortunately she won't like the ground. "She really is in such good form, she's jumping out of her skin. "We took her to the Old Vic gallop this morning and she went really well. "It's just such a shame that the ground is so soft." Johnny Murtagh is looking forward to partnering Hartani for John Oxx, who steps up in grade following successive triumphs at Tipperary. Murtagh said: "Hartani is progressing nicely and he really likes soft ground. "I think he'll run a very good race because he's a hardy horse and if there are any chinks in the others, he's just the sort of horse to find them out." Jessica Harrington has ground concerns for her talented dual-purpose performer Steps To Freedom. The trainer said: "He's in great form at the moment, but I would like the ground to be a little better ideally. "I suppose it's the same for them all and we have to run somewhere, so we'll give it a go and see what happens." Aidan O'Brien runs Father Of Science and Offer, with Goldplated and Macbeth completing the eight-runner field.
