Slattery targets more Curragh glory

The Tote Irish Cambridgeshire is the feature race at the Curragh on Sunday with €100,000 on offer for the mile Premier Handicap, while there is also a trio of intriguing Group 3 races on the supporting card.

A total of 36 horses were left in the Cambridgeshire at Tuesday’s final forfeit stage and among them is the Andy Slattery-trained An Saighdiur, who was a winner at the Curragh on Saturday and looks set for a quick reappearance.

Slattery saddled just two runners at the Curragh last weekend with both returning to the winners enclosure and he is hoping to continue that rich vein of form as the Killenaule-based trainer is also set to be represented by Galway Festival winner Planchart in the Group 3 Snow Fairy Stakes.

“If the rain keeps coming I see no reason why not to run An Saighdiur again,” Slattery said.

“He’s in great form and seem’s fine after the race on Saturday. We are unsure about him staying a mile but there’s only one way to find out and he didn’t seem to be stopping the last day.

"Billy Lee came back in after finishing fifth on him at the Curragh earlier in the season and said he could be a Cambridgeshire horse so that is why he got the entry and we’ll find out on Sunday if Billy was right!”

Planchart was successful in the Arthur Guinness Corrib Stakes at Galway, and she is one of 18 left in Snow Fairy Stakes along with stable companion Creggs Pipes.

Slattery added; “I would say we’ll only run Planchart. She’s absolutely super since Galway and couldn’t be better and I’d say she’s after coming on again since then. Her work is after improving and I think she is well capable of lining up in Sunday’s race.

"She is in the Matron Stakes on Champions Weekend and might head back to it but ahead of this Sunday I have never had her as well.”

Dermot Weld is well represented in the inaugural running of the Group 3 Snow Fairy Stakes with Adool, Discipline and Rose De Pierre all potential runners for Rosewell House, while Aidan O’Brien has left in Somehow.

The Darren Bunyan-trained Hit The Bid, who caused a 50-1 shock on Saturday when winning the Jimmy O’Neill Excellence Curragh Stakes, is among 15 that remain in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes.

Michael O’Callaghan’s impressive Leopardstown debut winner Holy Cat is among the entries alongside stable companion De Boss Man, who opened his account at the Curragh last weekend.

Charlie Appleby is responsible for the sole British-trained contender in the Group 3 Flame Of Tara Stakes with Newmarket maiden winner Wuheida a possible runner for Godolphin where she could meet Dermot Weld’s Eziyra and the Jim Bolger-trained Legitimus.

The 2016 Rose of Tralee, who will be crowned tonight, will be joined by some of the other Rose of Tralee participants to judge the search for the “Rose of the Curragh” competition with the most stylish, elegant and appropriate dressed ladies who attend the races competing for spectacular prizes courtesy of Tipperary Crystal.

Ladies who incorporate the Rose motif into their outfits will have a definite advantage.

The prize for the "Rose of the Curragh" will include a series of the Tipperary Crystal Fine jewellery ranges, and a range of products from the Tipperary Crystal Giftware and Homeware Collections.