Finsceal unlikely to run in the Pretty Polly

[NoChanceToDance]

by Brian Fleming


FINSCEAL BEO was reported to have come out of her Royal Ascot exertions well on Monday but trainer Jim Bolger said she was unlikely to take her chance in Saturday's Audi Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

The dual 1,000 Guineas winner, who could only finish eighth behind Indian Ink in the Coronation Stakes on Friday, was one of 13 fillies and mares left in the Group 1 contest.

Bolger said: "It's most unlikely she'll run on Saturday but she's very well after her trip to Ascot where the going just beat her. If we had suitable ground she would be out racing again on Saturday but at this stage that doesn't look likely."

Future plans for Finsceal Beo could involve another trip to Britain next month.

"We would be looking at the likes of the Falmouth in Newmarket and the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown before heading to Longchamp for the Prix de l'Opera over the Arc weekend," Bolger said.

Bolger also has the maiden Luminous One in the race but she is also entered up for handicaps on Saturday and Sunday.

Bolger added: "The plan at the moment is she'll either run in the Pretty Polly or the mile-and-a-half handicap on the Sunday."

Dimenticata, beaten only a neck by Finsceal Beo in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in which she finished two lengths in front of Peeping Fawn - whowas on Monday installed as the 7-4 favourite for the Pretty Polly by Cashmans - will be ridden again by man-in-form Chris Hayes.
"She was a bit unlucky last time in the Irish Guineas when we were stopped at the wrong time but she's very well and we're hoping the extra couple of furlongs will suit her," said trainer Kevin Prendergast.

"Chris is riding with great confidence after his Down Royal Derby and Oaks wins at the weekend and he'll be on board at the weekend."

There is set to be a French challenger in the shape of the Phillipe van der Poele-trained Musical Way, who was brought down in the La Coupe last time.

Her trainer said on Monday: "She didn't have an ideal prep race, in fact it was a bit of a disaster as she was boughtdown at Longchamp.

"However, she ran well first time out this season to be third to Mandesha at Saint-Cloud, and all has gone well since her last race.

"She travels well, and ideally she doesn't want heavy ground - she goes best on good."

Mick Kinane, who was due to miss Saturday after picking up a one-day ban at Royal Ascot, has applied to move the suspension to July 2 in order to ride Timarwa in the Pretty Polly and to free him for the Budweiser Irish Derby the followicng day.

Ground conditions at the Curragh were good to yielding on the round course and yielding on the straight course on Monday but racecourse manager Paul Hensey said: "It is to be relatively dry for the rest of today into tomorrow with some showers expected on Wednesday. We are then told to expect dry weather on Thursday and Friday so we're hoping the ground might improve but with intermittent showers it's impossible to predict."