Soft ground will favour Moiqen

Kevin Prendergast says the soft ground will be an advantage for Moiqen as he tackles older horses in the Curragh today.

Kevin Prendergast says the soft ground will prove to be an advantage for Moiqen when he tackles the older horses in the Curragh today. The Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed-owned horse was no match for the Derby third Casual Conquest in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. But Prendergast is optimistic. "He's run some very sound races this season and the ground was very fast at Ascot last time - he just couldn't get going on it and he finished fifth," said Prendergast. "But he wasn't beaten very far. The ease in the ground will be a big help to him today.

"We've had an awful lot of rain - he needs a good dig in the ground but we think he'll run a big race. "He was second in the Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and won a Derby Trial so he's done all right. I don't think running against older horses will bother him as he's a sturdy sort. Mustameet won this race for us a few years ago and he is the same type of horse. Hopefully he might pick up a big one one day," said Prendergast.

Meanwhile, it looks likely that Aidan O'Brien will rely on either the Meld Stakes winner King Of Rome or his 20-length Naas maiden winner Zulu Chief in Group 2. "We're looking at Zulu Chief or King Of Rome at this stage," said O'Brien. However, Zulu Chief lacks in achievement. At Newmarket's Craven meeting in April, he ran with a promise when an eye catching third to Fanjura in a division of the Wood Ditton Stakes.

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