Stars Go Racing reaches climax The television cameras will be out in force at Leopardstown tomorrow evening as the Foxrock venue hosts the Leopardstown Cup Handicap, the finale of the RTE1 reality series “Stars Go Racing” in which six celebrities are matched with different trainer's and compete over a series of weeks. The five Leopardstown Cup runners, together with their trainer and celebrity, are: Toufan Express (Ado McGuinness and country singer Mike Denver), Barrow Island (Mick Halford and TV presenter Ella McSweeney), Colour Of Love (Willie McCreery and meteorologist Jean Byrne), Crystal Morning (Jessica Harrington and rugby international Alan Quinlan) and Six Silver Lane (Joanna Morgan and hotelier Francis Brennan). Linda Martin, who worked with Bansha trainer David Marnane, is the only one to miss out on tomorrow's “final” as five runners go to post in a mile event at 7.35pm. Crystal Morning looks set to go off favourite, and Jessica Harrington reports the filly in good form saying, “She has a good chance, a great chance. She's held her form well this year, and she'll appreciate the small field.” The Moone trainer has enjoyed taking part in the series, and added, “It's actually been great fun, and hopefully its got out a few people who wouldn't normally be involved in racing and put a bit of interest into it. I've found it very good.” “Alan's been great, brilliant. He's a professional sports person and he understands that you're there to do job. He's decided that training horses is like training athletes! He's been down to the yard a good few times to get the feel of it and what goes on and what we do. “He's very good and has a great interest for somebody who wouldn't have had a great interest in horses to start with. He's got stuck in and done well.” Tomorrow evening also marks the end of the Bulmers Live series at Leopardstown this year in which racing and music come together with leading bands playing after the action has finished on the track. Horslips are the musical act tomorrow, while the Group 3 Desmond Stakes is the most prestigious race on a seven race card. The action gets underway at 5.35pm, and the going is currently described as good to yielding. Alan Magee
