O'Brien in strong bid to close the gap Joseph O'Brien has a strong book of rides at Dundalk tomorrow as he bids to peg back Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis who are four ahead of him in the race to be champion apprentice. The Ballydoyle teenager (8/1 with William Hill behind the even money pair of Carroll and Curtis) kicks off on the 82-rated Pirate Chest at 2.30 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden. Carroll and Curtis are without a ride in this six horse affair. Half-an-hour later in the Christmas Parties At Dundalk Race O'Brien will get the leg-up on the 97-rated Alexander Pope and Curtis is on the outsider Samsieur. In the third O'Brien must sit it out as Carroll goes into battle on Kirsty's Boy and Curtis will partner Tom McCourt's Zhukhov in a big field mile handicap. There is a higher class mile handicap after that with O'Brien on Anam Chara and Curtis will be on the likely outsider Pirans Rock. Mr Pianist, which O'Brien won on last time, has his chance under top-weight in the 4.30 where Carroll is on Midnight Manhattan and Curtis is on Playdate. Curtis is on King Of Aran and Carroll is on Leaves You Baby (a bit unfortunate on Saturday) in the 5.00. O'Brien is without a ride here. Carroll and O'Brien have claims in the concluding Group Bookings At Dundalk Stadium Race with the former on Bravely Fought and O'Brien on Pires.
