Ireland today

Today is a public holiday in Ireland and there are two meetings, flat racing at Leopardstown and jumping at Galway, with the going testing at both tracks. At Leopardstown there are huge fields in the handicaps and maiden races, but relatively small ones in the top main features. a Group Three for 2yo´s over 7 furlongs at 14.25 CET and a listed event for older horses over 10 furlongs at 16.55. The obvious favourite for the latter event is Derot Weld s Famous Name (Pat Smullen), runner-up in the French Derby earlier in the year and third over a mile at Longchamp on "Arc" weekend.This trip is more suitable and he should hold Aidan O´Brien´s two runners Poet , the choice of stable jockey Johnny Murtagh, and Windsor Palace (Seamus Heffernan). However Mores Wells( Kevin Prendergast/ Declan McDonogh) loves this track and despite top weight could well spring a surprise. All the usual suzspects have runners in the 2yo race, including O´Brien with two runners and Jim Bolger, but John O xx possibly holds the strongest hand with Rayeni (Fran Berry) and Vitruvian Man (Mick Kinane). At Galway´s N.H. meeting, the most valuable race isthe 2 3/4 mile handicap chase at 16.35, whch looks wide open. Rory´s Sister (Charlie Swan/ DG Hogan) is on a hat-trick but meets better opposition now, while Beautiful Vision (Tom Taaffe/ Paddy Flood) deserves a win after twice finishing second, but Ruby Walsh´s mount Conem (Thomas Austen), who loves heavy ground, just gets the vote. Walsh can also take the novice hurdle at 15.05 with Adrian Sexton´s Conclave, who can makew the most of the weight conc ession from the smart Montero (Dessie Hughes/ IJ McCarthy), while Noel Meade´s Clarnazar (Paul Carberry), one of Ireland´s big hopes for this season, is expected to take the beginners chase at 17.05.