RACING: Aidan O'Brien is hoping a change of tactics will work for his Juddmonte International contender Ace in this afternoon's feature race at the start of York's Ebor festival.
Placed in three Group One prizes this year before running fifth to Azamour in the King George, Ace now reverts back to a mile and a quarter and is set to play a prominent role against his six opponents.
"He's in good form and we think the drop back in trip will suit him. I think we will ride him more positively this time, maybe even make the running. He won when making all last year," the Ballydoyle trainer said yesterday.
That success came in Ace's second start of 2004 at Leopardstown but the colt faces a truly international field today with last year's Japan Cup winner Zenno Rob Boy joined by the Italian trained Electrocutionist.
O'Brien and jockey Kieren Fallon will also be represented in the Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes by Avalan, a son of the Oaks winner Lady Carla, who won his sole start to date at the Curragh.
"We will have to see if he steps up. He is very lazy at home so it's hard to know," said O'Brien who won the Voltigeur with the subsequent St Leger winner Milan in 2001. His other Leger hero, Brian Boru, was runner-up to Powerscourt in the 2003 Voltigeur.
Scorpion is a warm ante-post favourite for this year's Leger and the Grand Prix de Paris winner had a post-race work-out at Leopardstown on Sunday. O'Brien confirmed yesterday that the Leger is the race he is looking at for Scorpion's next start.
Looking further ahead it will be a major weekend for Ballydoyle's powerful juvenile team with Horatio Nelson due to run in the Group Two Galileo Futurity at the Curragh on Saturday and Ivan Denisovich set to take in Deauville's Prix Morny on Sunday.
A total of 16 horses were left in the Futurity at yesterday's forfeit stage, including five from O'Brien's yard. Horatio Nelson, however, is the intended runner and will try to retain his unbeaten record against a field that could include David Wachman's unbeaten runner Heatseeker.
The ground at the Curragh is currently "good to firm" but a decision on whether the track will be watered won't be taken until tomorrow at the earliest.
"We are told we could get up to 10mms of rain falling on Wednesday so we will have to see if the forecast is correct," said the Curragh manager Paul Hensey yesterday. "We will wait and see how much actually falls before we decide about watering or not."
A total of 30 horses remain in the valuable Tattersalls Sales Stakes while the most eye-catching name among the 17 left in the Listed Belgrave Stakes is the Phoenix Sprint winner Osterhase.
Johnny Murtagh has decided not to appeal against the 21-day ban picked up for "improper riding" at Leopardstown on Sunday when he punched Pat Smullen just after the field had past the post in the first race.
The decision was confirmed yesterday and that means the ride on the Derby winner Motivator in the Irish Champion Stakes on September 10th is open, as is the mount on Soviet Song in Matron Stakes on the same card.
Murtagh's suspension means he will not be able to ride in Ireland until September 21st during the Listowel Festival. But he will be free to ride elsewhere on days there is no flat racing in Ireland.
As expected Dermot Weld has elected to run his Listed winner Orpington in tomorrow's Ebor Handicap at York. The Curragh trainer confirmed the horse at yesterday's final declaration stage.
