Weld hopes for timely turn in weather

Dermot Weld is pinning his hopes on the weather as he prepares In Time`s Eye for a crack at the Budweiser Irish Derby hotpot High Chaparral.

The pair met in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial in May when a victorious High Chaparral conceded 7lb before landing that momentous Epsom triumph over Hawk Wing.

'High Chaparral is 1 to 4 for Sunday and should win. Being realistic I think he will be very hard to beat,' said Weld last night.

'But if the ground turned fast that might suit my horse better than a Sadler`s Wells. In Time`s Eye loves quick ground and he does have another gear.

'High Chaparral has probably improved another 7lb which means we have to improve 14lb to catch up. In Time`s Eye has improved but I don`t know if he has improved that much,' Weld added.

The ground at the Curragh yesterday had improved to 'good to yielding' but it didn`t stop one punter having #2,000 sterling on In Time`s Eye at 8 to 1 with Cashmans yesterday.

That was enough to see the Weld runner cut to 6 to 1 and disputing general second favouritism alongside the King Edward VII Stakes winner Balakheri.

Pat Smullen will ride In Time`s Eye in the Derby with Pat Shanahan on the Weld second string, Jazz Beat.

Shanahan picked up the 1996 Derby on the Weld-trained outsider Zagreb and the trainer said yesterday: 'Jazz Beat is in super form, too, and will run a good race.'

Weld will also take the fight to the Ballydoyle powerhouse in the Railway Stakes where the Coventry runner-up Pakhoes could take on the highly rated Hold That Tiger.

'Pakhoes is a very decent horse and hopefully he will go and win one now. He is adaptable so the ground should not be a problem,' he said.

Weld and Smullen got in the winning swing for the weekened when Musical Fusion made a winning debut in the mile and a half maiden at Leopardstown last night.

A gelded son of Sadler`s Wells with blinkers on didn`t seem to do much for the punters and they let Musical Fusion off a 7 to 1 chance.

He didn`t look a particularly comfortable mount but he overhauled Really in the straight and kept on well enough to win.

Bocaccio emerged best in a blanket finish to the nine-furlong handicap, just edging out the dead-heaters Royal South and Solid Gold.

'Because he had a bad draw we decided to take a chance and drop him in. Niall (McCullagh) has given him a great ride,' said trainer Michael Grassick.

There was another ultra-tight finish to the seven-furlong handicap with Triple Gold short heading Capel Street in a driving finish.

Rupununi was the gamble in the first division of the amateur`s maiden and brought it off in style with a decisive burst of acceleration early in the straight.

John Kiely`s Leopardstown experience is usually during the winter months but the trainer prepared Kilbride King for a thrusting late run that took him to a length and a half success over Anno Jubilo in the apprentice handicap.

Navan will hold a new fixture on Thursday, July 11th.