THINGS TO BE DONN..

Ascot brings delay to title race

DONNACHA O’brien will put his bid for a second Jockeys Championship on hold and turn his attentions to Champions Day at Ascot tomorrow.

With Ryan Moore in Australia to ride Ten Sovereigns in the lucrative Everest at Randwick (6.15. a.m. Irish time), Ireland’s reigning champion, currently 101-96 ahead of Colin Keane (inset) in the title race, will be in the hot-seat on Ballydoyle’s main contenders for Champions Day glory, including Magical (Champion Stakes) and Magna Grecia (QEII), plus brother Joseph’s Speak

In Colours in the Sprint.

A total of 20 Irish challengers will be in action on the Ascot card: the Grade 1 American Grand National Hurdle in Far Hills, New Jersey.

Elliott will saddle last year’s winner Jury Duty (Robbie Power) and The Storyteller (Davy Russell) while Mullins will be represented by the remarkable Wicklow Brave (Paul Townend) and Pravalaguna (Danny Mullins).

THE Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Mercury Stakes will be a fascinating feature on tonight’s Dundalk card.

And John Quinn’s speed-ball El Astronaute, already successful twice in Ireland this season and one of five British-trained challengers, should make a bold bid to register his first success on an all-weather surface.

Winner of Cork’s listed Midsummer Sprint and the valuable Rockingham at the Curragh, the selection then produced a few below par efforts but last time, filled third spot behind Glass Slipper and So Perfect in the Group 1 Abbaye at Longchamp.

Unsuccessful in just two previous all-weather outings, Jason Hart’s mount is drawn low, should bounced from the stalls and, if he’s able to dictate, will be tough to catch.

Primo Uomo can earn a share of the spoils in a field which features five two-year-olds.

While Aidan O’brien’s Yale (first reserve) shouldn’t be missed, if he makes the line-up for the finale, a six-furlong maiden.