Today's Meetings:Conditions are sure to be ultra-testing at Leopardstown this evening and a test of stamina could be just the trick for the regally bred Downtown in the Listed Challenge Stakes.
Torrential downpours in the Dublin area turned the going to "soft to heavy" at Leopardstown yesterday and racecourse officials will be monitoring the weather situation on the run up to racing.
"We're fairly confident we'll be okay. Showers are expected to continue but there will be dry spells too so it should be alright," said Leopardstown manager Tom Burke.
The going will certainly be the softest encountered so far by Downtown, a daughter of the champion sire Danehill and the double Oaks and St Leger heroine User Friendly.
On breeding, stamina shouldn't be an issue for the David Wachman-trained filly in the 14-furlong finale tonight and there was also much to like about her run behind Nick's Nikita at Cork.
The other Listed race tonight is the Silver Flash Stakes and the Dermot Weld-trained course and distance winner Mad About You has got better breeding credentials than most for the task.
Most of Indian Ridge's progeny like a cut and Irresistible Jewel was a high-class Ribblesdale Stakes winner during her racing days.
Mad About You won well on her debut here last month but faces a stiff task against the Naas winner Kayd Kodaun and Rainbow Crossing. The ability to act on the conditions will also be crucial in the opening Nursery and Lafuar's debut win on the heavy at Navan in April takes the eye.
Bold Bibi was a wide-margin Leopardstown winner on her last start and a 13lb rise in the ratings may not be enough to stop the Halford runner following up in the fillies handicap on the last day of Killarney.
