RACING: Michael Kinane could miss out on riding High Chaparral for the third time this year if the rising star Van Nistelrooy runs at the Curragh on Sunday. High Chaparral is due to clash with the French Derby winner Sulamani in the traditional Arc trial, the Prix Niel, at Longchamp on Sunday.
However, the unbeaten Van Nistelrooy is set to run in the Aga Khan Studs National Stakes on the same day and the indications are that Kinane will be committed to the two-year-old.
The crucial determining factor will be a series of blood tests whose results are expected at Ballydoyle this morning. "We will have to get them back before all the plans are cleared up but it's possible Michael will be at the Curragh on Sunday and Doncaster on Saturday for the English Leger," Aidan O'Brien said yesterday.
"We will have to see how Van Nistelrooy and the others are first. We would hope one would be able to run at Doncaster, maybe more than one. But if we can get one there we will be delighted," he added. O'Brien has Ballingarry, Sholokhov and Black Sam Bellamy in the Doncaster classic and the trio are also in the Jefferson Smurfit Irish Leger as well figuring among O'Brien's six entries for the Prix Niel.
Plans for them won't be finalised until this morning when both Legers are finally declared.
Should Van Nistelrooy get the go ahead for the National Stakes, Seamus Heffernan could be re-united with High Chaparral who he rode to victory in the Derrinstown Derby Trial. John Murtagh rode the colt in the Epsom Derby with Kinane on High Chaparral when he won the Irish Derby and on his first start of the season at Leopardstown.
Other Irish interest at Longchamp on Sunday could centre on the Ribblesdale winner Irresistible Jewel who figures among the entries for the Group One Prix Vermeille. However, Dermot Weld's focus on Saturday will be on Vinnie Roe's attempt to win the Irish Leger for the second year in a row.
Vinnie Roe was the market order in the ante-post betting yesterday and is a 5 to 4 favourite from 7 to 4 with Cashmans. Daliapour will be ridden by Jimmy Fortune as the former double Derby runner-up goes in search of a first Irish Leger for Michael Stoute. The final classic of the season is the only Irish classic the Newmarket trainer has never won.
The home action switches from Galway to Tipperary today and the Weld camp can strike for a rather unusual double. The half sisters Striking Pose and Beautiful Hill are both greys and can both carry the Moyglare colours to success in their respective maidens just an hour apart.
There will be a lot of interest in the latest start of the JP McManus-owned youngster Wouldn't You Agree in the novice hurdle. The double Galway winner won easily on the course last time after which trainer Christy Roche outlined some ambitious targets. If they are to be realised, Wouldn't You Agree should win again.
