Dermot Weld is hoping Grey Swallow can avoid the "bounce factor" when he lines up in Saturday's Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park. The five-year-old went nearly a year without a win before bouncing back to form with success on his first start in America last month.
Weld's horse was an easy, five-length winner of the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park, but the Curragh handler admits he has some concerns about the rigorous travelling schedule. "All being well, he will run in the Manhattan. It's a pretty tough Grade One," said Weld.
"With it being a handicap, he's got top weight and he will have to give weight to horses like Relaxed Gesture and others. He's got a lot to do this time. The horse is very well. He was on the west coast a couple of weeks ago and now he's on the east coast, so he's done a lot of travelling.
"I just hope the 'bounce factor' doesn't come into play. Provided that is not a factor, he would be very hard to beat."
Although Grey Swallow will not form part of Weld's team for Royal Ascot, the trainer has high hopes for the June highlight.
Stable stalwart Media Puzzle, winner of the 2002 Melbourne Cup before being plagued by injury, is pencilled for the Gold Cup after winning the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown last week.
"As of now, we are all set," Weld told attheraces. "He came back with a wonderful performance in the Saval Beg the other day.
"I was delighted with his performance. He loves fast ground and he will be back."
Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime is also on course for the Coronation Stakes at the Royal meeting. "The ground was soft, as we know; can she handle firm ground at Royal Ascot only time will tell," added Weld.
Jim Bolger's Galatee is on the road to recovery and will be aimed at the Irish Oaks next month. The unbeaten filly was supplemented for the English equivalent last week and was the subject of a sizeable ante-post gamble before last Friday's Classic at Epsom.
However, connections were forced to withdraw her because of an elevated white blood cell count. Bolger told the Racing Post that Galatee, who also holds an entry for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, is making good progress and is now being primed for the Irish Oaks on July 16th.
"She'll hopefully be back in full work within a week and we'll take it from there," he said. "We'll be looking at the Irish Oaks with her."
Proclamation and George Washington top a 61-strong entry for the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on August 2nd.
The four-year-old Proclamation won the mile race last year when trained by Jeremy Noseda, but joined the Godolphin team over the winter and has yet to make his seasonal reappearance.
George Washington was an easy winner of Newmarket's 2,000 Guineas for Aidan O'Brien before meeting with a surprise defeat in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh last month. He was subsequently found to be injured and faces a month resting up.
He is among 17 entries for the Ballydoyle handler, along with Aussie Rules, winner of the French 2,000 Guineas, top juvenile filly Rumplestiltskin and Marcus Andronicus.
Proclamation is one of 12 possibles for Godolphin along with 1,000 Guineas fourth Silca's Sister, Opera Cape and last year's Wokingham Stakes winner Iffraaj.
Araafa, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, is an eye-catching entry for Noseda, who also has Petrovich and Secret World entered.
Meanwhile, Tony Martin, handed a €2,000 fine by the Limerick stewards over the running and riding of Schindlers Son who finished 12th in a maiden hurdle last month, won his appeal against the penalty that was heard yesterday by the Turf Club's independent appeals body in the Stand House Hotel beside the Curragh.
Claiming rider Simon Craig, who rode the five-year-old and was banned for 21 days, also won his appeal against that verdict.
