Tapestry can get four-year-old campaign off to a Listed race start at the Curragh

Top amateur jockey Colman Sweeney has confirmed his retirement from race riding

Top amateur jockey Colman Sweeney who was a  three-time Cheltenham Foxhunters winner, including on the dual-victor, Salsify, has retired. Photograph: Inpho
Top amateur jockey Colman Sweeney who was a three-time Cheltenham Foxhunters winner, including on the dual-victor, Salsify, has retired. Photograph: Inpho

BRIAN O’CONNOR

The Group One winner Tapestry could get her four-year-old campaign off to a Listed race start at the Curragh on Sunday.

Aidan O'Brien's Yorkshire Oaks winner is among 13 entries left in the Alleged Stakes after the five-day stage, alongside her stable companion Geoffrey Chaucer.

Tapestry's 120-handicap mark makes her the top-rated entry for Sunday's card which features the Group Three Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes in which Struthan will attempt to follow up his 2014 victory in the race.

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O'Brien has left in his Phoenix Stakes hero Dick Whittington as well as the Kings Stand Stakes runner up Due Diligence.

In other news the top amateur jockey Colman Sweeney has confirmed his retirement from race riding. A three time Cheltenham Foxhunters winner, including on the dual-victor, Salsify, Sweeney said: "I've also had a constant struggle with my weight all my life and the older I'm getting the harder it is to get the weight off from the summer grass!"

He added: "Salsify probably gave me the two greatest days of my riding career. To have success as a family like that in Cheltenham doesn't happen very often. I also won the Foxhunter on Sleeping Night for Paul Nicholls and I rode plenty of other good horses, including Denman in a point-to-point."

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column