Events / Tony Calvin / 30 August 2009 / Leave a comment

But weather forecast still against 2000 Guineas winner...

"The news doing the rounds in Ireland is that John Oxx has told Leopardstown racecourse that he is set to run Sea The Stars in the Irish Champion Stakes next weekend, even if the ground is “on the slow side of good.”

Listen to gossip and rumours in racing and you'll end up in the poorhouse, or sitting on a very unhealthy betting position en route to it.

But the news doing the rounds in Ireland is that John Oxx has told Leopardstown racecourse that he is set to run Sea The Stars in the Irish Champion Stakes next weekend, even if the ground is "on the slow side of good".

If that is confirmed, then perhaps there is a ray of hope for his ante-post backers and for racing in general, as his clash with Fame And Glory is the most eagerly-awaited clash of the season.

However, despite the apparent softening in Oxx's attitude towards the required going for his superstar, a very wet weather five-day forecast in Dublin could make such a concession redundant.

That is the reason why Fame And Glory is currently still the [1.61] favourite on Betfair, with Sea The Stars available at [2.9].

Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin commented: "The volumes may have been light, with just over £38,000 matched on the race, but the price movements have seen Fame And Glory backed as low as [1.5], and Sea The Stars laid at over [3.5].

"So plenty of people will be hoping the rumours that Oxx could run Sea The Stars on ground worse than good are indeed true.

"It looks like the weather won't be that kind, though, hence Sea The Stars being available at [2.9] when in a fair, good ground fight he would be odds-on."

Tags: Fame And Glory, Irish Champion Stakes, Sea The Stars