The long-running legal wrangle that has prevented work beginning on the proposed new 100 million redevelopment of the Curragh racecourse could soon reach all the way to the Supreme Court.
The Friends of the Curragh Environment Ltd, who are against the radical facelift of Irish racing's headquarters, have indicated they are willing to appeal to the Supreme Court a previous High Court decision denying them a protective cost order.
A date for such a hearing may not be available until October and is likely to further delay the beginning of construction work which had been originally pencilled in for April 1st.
The pressure group had gone to the High Court in May in an attempt to have their legal costs covered for a judicial review into the method with which An Bord Pleanala granted planning permission for a new road and hotel at the Curragh.
However, a lengthy judgment delivered by Judge Peter Kelly last month rejected the application which the Friends of the Curragh Environment Ltd argued they were entitled to as the case revolved around issues of law.
A judicial review of the An Bord Pleanala decision is still set to take place in early October but the environment group now appear to have decided to take the costs issue for that review to the Supreme Court.
A Turf Club spokesman yesterday described this latest development as a "setback" but added that some preliminary site work could still take place at the Curragh.
Most of the racecourse redevelopment, which includes the biggest grandstand project proposed on an Irish track, and which also includes a new hotel complex, was originally pencilled in to finish in the summer of next year.
However, even the most optimistic officials appear to accept that the summer of 2008 now looks a more likely date for a completion of Irish racing's most ambitious building project.
Meanwhile, good ground is expected at the Curragh for this weekend's fixtures which are highlighted by Sunday's Moyglare Stud Stakes. However, a star name likely to travel from Britain for the Group Three Nolan & Brophy Auctioneers Flying Five on the same day is Benbaun who missed yesterday's Nunthorope at York because of the ground.
"There was no point running at York with the rain they got. It's gluey and he wouldn't have wanted that," said Benbaun's trainer Mark Wallace. "The forecast is pretty good at the Curragh and he will definitely go there. Pat Smullen has ridden him three times before and will probably do so again. I'd be confident of a very good run if the ground is right."
Michael Kinane will team up with the 2,000 Guineas winner George Washington when the colt returns from a hip injury in Sunday's Totesport Celebration Mile at Goodwood. Aidan O'Brien confirmed the booking after George Washington satisfied connections in a work-out.
Team Allstar is in the form of his life at the moment and the Niall Madden-trained horse can score again at Wexford this evening in the two-mile flat handicap.
Fran Berry's mount is a double course and distance winner and is 9lb higher in the ratings for beating Pillar Rock here on his last visit. However, he certainly comes back in form having easily won a handicap chase at Roscommon on Monday and given his ideal right-handed and fast conditions, Team Allstar will be hard to beat.
Tango Foxtrot and Pat Smullen won over the course on their last start and an 8lb hike in the weights doesn't look to have ruined their chances of a follow up while the one-eyed ex-French Stakes winner Ecole D'Art should be hard to peg back in the novice hurdle.
Noel Meade can also hit the mark at Kilbeggan in the maiden hurdle where Restoration, 11th to Detroit City in last March's Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, is just preferred on the quick going to the decent flat performer Salt Lake.
