RACING NEWS:THE FAIRYHOUSE authorities have their fingers crossed for a rare change of fortune this week which will allow them run the postponed Hatton's Grace Hurdle card on Thursday.
The triple-Grade One “Winter Festival” fixture due to be run yesterday was cancelled on Saturday when the track was covered with three-and-a-half inches of snow.
That snow was still there yesterday, and although a newly-arranged, eight-race fixture, with free admission, has been fixed for Thursday, the omens for that going ahead do not appear to be positive.
“We are far enough away from Thursday to hope we can race on that day, but the Met people are pessimistic,” Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe said yesterday. “All we need is a thaw. It’s not like we need three or four days to get ready. If there’s a thaw Wednesday night, we’ll be able to race on Thursday. But the forecast doesn’t look good.”
If racing can’t go ahead, then a scramble to rearrange the three Grade One races, the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle and the Drinmore Novice Chase, could take place, with pressure possible to stage those valuable contests elsewhere.
Punchestown is due to stage the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase this Sunday, but Fairyhouse are keen to hang on to their most valuable winter contests even if a “free admission” policy this Thursday will mean taking a financial hit.
With the cold snap forecast to last until well into this week, Fairyhouse will need a change of luck, but if they get it, Thursday’s eight-race fixture is due to start at 11.50am, with the Royal Bond and Hatton’s Grace scheduled to be the second and third races respectively. The Drinmore will be the fifth. Fresh forfeits will have to be made today.
Joshua Tree could finish only 12th in a controversial conclusion to yesterday morning’s Japan Cup, but could continue his Far Eastern sojourn in Hong Kong on Sunday week.
Aidan O’Brien’s Canadian International winner is among the entries for the mile-and-a-half Cathay Pacific International Vase, and he could be joined at the prestigious international meeting by stable companion Beethoven in the Mile.
Yesterday, though, Joshua Tree, under Colm O’Donoghue, couldn’t figure in the world’s most valuable turf race. Christophe Soumillon’s mount, Buena Vista, was thrown out of first and placed behind Rose Kingdom, who races in the same ownership.
