Ireland today

It is quite unusual to have two flat meetings the same afternoon in Ireland but that is the case today with a big card at the Curragh (the first day of their Irish Oaks meeting) and also racing on the all-weather at Dundalk. This has put a lot of pressure on jockey bookings, and it is certainly significant that Aidan O´Brien sends his second jockey Seamus Heffernan to Dundalk to partner Great Barrier Reef in the 3yo maiden at 17.15 CET and Greatwallofchina in the 7 furlongs conditions race half an hour later; both will start a short-priced favourite. At the Curragh, O´Brien can take the Group Three International Stakes over 9 furlongs at 17.30 with Plan (Johnny Murtagh), although strictly on the book he is held by Lisvale (David Wachman/ Wayne Lordan); Kevin Prendergast´s tough Mustameet (Declan McDonough) is another to consider here. The Group Three Minstrel Stakes over 7 furlongs half an hour earlier can go to Peter Chapple-Hyam´s Al Qasi (Mick Kinane), who should prove too strong for ex-French Garnica (David Nicholls/ Pt Smullen) and ex-German Raptor (Karl Burke/ Declan McDonough)