Irish racing today

There is good flat racing today at Leopardstown and a N.H.meeting at Killarney. At Leopardstown, the two classic trials are the main features, and there are 6 runners in the Derby Trial at 16.55 CET over 10 furlongs, 3 of them trained by Aidan O´Brien and 2 by Dermot Weld. Judging by jockey bookings, Washington Irving (Seamus heffernan) and Casual Conquest (Pat Smullen) are their respective main hopes, but the odd man out, Kevin Prendergast´s Moiquen (Declan McDonogh) also boasts good form and can run out the winner. The 1,000 Guineas Trial at 17.25 can go to the Aga Khan´s Katiyra (John Oxx/ Mick Kinane), who won her only race last year in very promising style. Caribbean Sunset (Weld/ Smullen) and Charlotte Bronte (David Wachman/ Wayne Lordan) look the main dangers. The Group Three Amethyst Stakes over a mile at 18.25 sees the European debut of Australian Group One winner Haradusan (Heffernan), who is now with Aidan O´Brien. Any danger could come from Weld´s Tian Shan (Smullen), who is much improved this year. At Killarney, where there are the usual maximum fields, the main event is a valuable handicap hurdle at 16.35. Ex-German Schelm (Ronald O´Leary/ Robbie Power) has won both his starts in England this year but now meets tougher opposition, including Tony Martin´s Northern Alliance (Ruby Walsh) and Colm Murphy´s Bambootcha (Alan Crowe), who is going for a four-timer.