Ground to blame for Clonard showing Tony Martin blamed the testing conditions in France on Saturday for Clonard Street's defeat in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. The JP McManus-owned youngster was quietly fancied to take the Group One over a mile and a quarter after a solid second behind Ol' Man River at the Curragh in September. But, despite showing up prominently for a long way, he was never a factor inside the final few furlongs and finished last behind the unbeaten Epicuris. Martin told the Irish Times: "Fran (Berry, jockey) said it was Navan January soft. "He turned in looking like he'd be in the first two but it was very testing and he left him alone when his chance was gone."
