Ebadiyla has her warm-up for the Irish St Leger in tomorrow's Ballycullen Stakes at Leopardstown but with 10-1 on her back, the dual classic winner will have to raise rather more than a warming sweat if she is to win.
That is presuming she is given the chance to run. John Oxx is keen to get a race into the Irish Oaks and French Leger winner but will examine the track before racing to see if the going is suitable.
"I'm not keen to run her on good to firm but there is some rain forecast for Saturday night and if that falls on Leopardstown I would expect her to run. She tends to be a little ring rusty after a break and we don't want to go to the Leger not having raced since the Coronation Cup but she is well in herself and is not unfit," Oxx said yesterday.
Ebadiyla is clearly a top international filly but in the circumstances it may pay to look elsewhere for a Ballycullen winner. Campo Catino's last effort when a flustered and unconvincing fourth to Sunshine Street over 12 furlongs does not make him an obvious candidate. However, Charles O'Brien's colt is apparently a free sweater anyway and it may be hasty to think he didn't like the fast ground last time. On his form before that, he is worth another chance.
Ebadiyla's half sister Edabiya can uphold the family honour though when she makes her debut in the Debutante Stakes. By Rainbow Quest, Edabiya is a different type of animal to her illustrious relation but is reputed to have an impressive engine and is preferred to the Galway winner Alexis.
The rest of the day could turn into something of a benefit for the Dermot Weld yard. The stable jockey Michael Kinane is engaged in France to ride Orpen in the Prix Morny and while he is away Pat Smullen and Pat Shanahan can play to some effect.
Smullen takes over on Immovable Option, the Weld hotpot surprisingly beaten by Windward Rock at Galway, and with Donatus possibly needing a furlong further Immovable Option can regain those western losses.
Shanahan rides the big grey Abaco in the Strathmore Handicap and this course specialist can bounce back from a very disappointing effort at Gowran last time.
Smullen comes back into the equation when he partners Leave Me Alone, who defeated Star Quality at Gowran over a mile, in the Obelisk Handicap and although Missing The Beat is a very frustrating type, he does at least have a rating of 79 which looks good enough to win a weak looking Mapis Maiden.
Cork racecourse is to have its own Grand National when the inaugural £25,000 City Life Cork Grand National Handicap Chase is run on November 1st.
Announcing the initiative, Ted Dwyer, Director of the sponsoring Cork-based financial services group, declared the seven-race card will begin the process of making Cork "the Galway of the south and we deserve nothing less."
He added yesterday: "We are honoured to be a Cork company sponsoring the Cork Grand National on a Cork racecourse close to where the first steeplechase took place so many years ago."
Mazzelmo should be kept in mind for staying handicaps towards the backend of this season and next spring after yesterday's defeat of Murchan Tyne at Chester.
