THE HUGELY tough and consistent Leitir Mor could take centre stage himself for a change at Leopardstown on Saturday if lining up in the Group Three JRA Killavullan Stakes. Jim Bolger’s star juvenile is one of 21 entries left in the seven-furlong contest that has served as a gateway to Classic glory in the past for both Grey Swallow (2003) and Footstepsinthesand (2004.)

Leitir Mor has been toiling in the shadow of Dawn Approach for much of the year, including when finishing runner-up to his stable companion in the Dewhurst Stakes a couple of weeks ago.

That was a seventh runner-up placing, and a third Group One placing, for a colt that has run a dozen times already although winning just the once in a Curragh Group Three last month.

Aidan O’Brien has won the Killvullan nine times already and his entry this time includes the Phoenix Stakes winner Pedro The Great and the Navan maiden winner Kingsbarns who is already prominent in ante-post betting for next year’s Derby.

However, Kingsbarns has also been supplemented into Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Saturday’s main support at Leopardstown is the Listed Trigo Stakes where the course stalwart Famous Name is again set to line up.

Ground conditions at the Foxrock course yesterday were officially soft after 40mms of rain in the previous week. However, the weather outlook for the week ahead is mostly positive.

Dermot Weld’s former top bumper performer Waaheb is the standout name among the six races at Fairyhouse today.

Being off the racecourse for almost a year and a half was no impediment to Rite Of Passage’s remarkable Ascot success at the weekend and Waaheb is reappearing after a similar lay-off. The triple bumper winner failed by only a short head to Lovethehigherlaw at Punchestown 2011 and gets weight all round for his jumping debut in the conditions hurdle.

Weld also gives Expanding Universe a first start since Christmas in the bumper and improving ground should suit him while last week’s Punchestown winner Civena can score again.