Racing: High-Rise above rain

CONNECTIONS of High-Rise are undeterred by the recent heavy rain - three inches in the last eight days - in Ireland and yesterday reported the Derby winner on course for the Budweiser-sponsored Irish equivalent at the Curragh on Saturday week.

A spokesperson for the colt's trainer, Luca Cumani, said: "The plan is to run in the Irish Derby. Soft ground would not change that although we might have to weigh things up if it became horrendously soft. However, High-Rise is not a horse who needs top of the ground and indeed he has won on soft.

"Olivier Peslier, who rode High-Rise at Epsom, will again have the mount."