Mick Channon has had three Group winners at the Curragh in the last six weeks, including Lady Lahar in Saturday`s Futurity, and will be represented by Hotelgenie Dot Com in Sunday`s Moyglare Stud Stakes. The Australian jockey Craig Williams will ride the filly who was runner-up to Silver Jordan in the Listed Milcars Stakes at Sandown on her last start.
The British challenge for the Group One event is beginning to take shape with Paul Cole nominating his Italian Listed winner Hejaziah. 'She really wants a mile but she is my likely one,' Cole said yesterday.
Jim Bolger has confirmed that Affianced, a Listed winner on the course last time, will take her chance in the Moyglare while Barry Hills also hopes to have a runner in the race.
Meanwhile, rain at Epsom yesterday put paid to any chance that the #100,000 bonus on offer to break the five-furlong world record of Indigenous at 53.6 seconds in the Tote Exacta Sprint would be paid out, the race going to top weight Repertory in atime of 55.26 seconds.
It was the second victory in the race for the Anshan gelding, who held off the strong late challenges of Ivory`s Joy.
Pat Eddery edged closer to Kevin Darley in the jockeys` title race when booting home National Anthem to a decisive victory in the opening Tokyo Trophy Conditions Stakes.
The winner had looked to be struggling two furlongs out in the mile-and-a-quarter event and did not look to be making an impression on early leader Catchy Word.
However, Eddery, who moved on to the 107-winner mark following this success, kept his mount up to his work and the partnership hit the front at the furlong-pole to stay on and win by two lengths.
Riberac gained compensation for a recent Salisbury defeat when romping home to success under Joe Fanning in the Avenues Introduction Handicap. Mark Johnston`s charge had won twice before his Salisbury setback after having been upped in trip to a mile and proved far too strong for his11 rivals today as Fanning slipped his field after rounding Tattenham Corner.
In the end Riberac had four lengths to spare over runner-up Copplestone with Junikay running on into third a further one and three quarter lengths away.
