Aidan O`Brien yesterday indicated that Sunday week`s Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp is the likely next stop for the unbeaten 2,000 Guineas favourite Hemingway.
However a Group One target before that is this weekend`s Moyglare Stud Stakes and Sequoah could be the standard bearer of a strong Ballydoyle team for the Curragh event.
'We have a lot of possibles for the Moyglare and I would imagine we will have more than one runner,' said O`Brien yesterday before confirming the Salamandre as a target for Hemingway.
'He looks a strong possible for the French race, even though we have some others in it too, and he`s been in good form since he won at York,' O`Brien said. Giants Causeway won the Salamandre for O`Brien last year and in 1998 Stravinsky was placed last by the stewards after passing the post in second behind Godolphin`s Aljabr.
Not surprsingly O`Brien isn`t represented at today`s Downpatrick fixture but his sister in law Frances Crowley most definitely isand she allows Hill Port make a quick reappearance in the Heart Of Down Ulster Ceasarewitch.
Anyone who saw this threeyear-old win at Tralee on Thursday will want nothing else in the race as Hill Port apeared to thrive on the very soft ground. He travelled superbly throughout and when Colm O`Donoghue asked him to quicken in the straight the response was instant.
Hill Port sprinted nine lengths clear of Pas Possible with Pilgrim Star back in third and there was no telling what else was in the tank. Crowley reported that Hill Port jumps well and is destined for a hurdling career but with Pat Smullen on his back today, the youngster should be very hard to beat.
Racing opens at the Northern track with a maiden hurdle that looks to provide Indalo with another winning opportunity. Philip Rothwell`s horse scored in a Fairyhouse bumper last November and followed that up with a very decent fifth to Bally Amber in a very good bumper at the Punchestown festival.
Indalo`slast effort was a distant fifth to Grinkov at Galway but his earlier form looks more than good enough for a poor race like this.
Sanaka takes his chance in the Eastwood Race off a mark of 82 which is 9lbs lower than when he ran for John Oxx last season. Sanaka comes here on the back of a fall in a hurdle won by Penzita but looks a better value option than Mutakarrim who looked a lucky Tramore winner over Sharavoge Cookie last time out.
