Danny boy to ride in Ireland

TOP local jockey Danny Lee will take his talents to Ireland next week to ride at the leading track of Punchestown.

Lee, who won the first race on Wednesday night on sprinter Orchestra, is no stranger to the Emerald Isle having accompanied trainer Peter Ng Bik-kuen to the country on several occasions. He has also ridden there briefly in the past.

Ng, who has been the leading import of Irish bloodstock to Hong Kong for years, will attend Goffs yearling sales next week and Lee goes with him.

The Curragh-based trainer Danny Murphy is supplying the rides for Lee and said before his departure last night: 'I hope he can do just exactly what he did with Orchestra.' Lee rides Space Rock and Special Boat, the latter owned by Ng.

Meanwhile, River Verdon had his last major workout on the Sha Tin grass yesterday before his departure tomorrow night for Australia and his historic double mission there.

Jockey John Marshall worked River Verdon left-handed and again expressed his complete satisfaction with the champion's effort.

'At the very start, as you would expect, he was changing legs so the work was a bit choppy,' said Marshall. 'But he is now on his right leg quite readily and the work today was excellent.' Trainer David Hill will fly to Melbourne after Sunday's races to see how the Triple Crown winner has travelled - and organise preliminary trackwork arrangements at Sandown racecourse.

Said Hill: 'To date everything is 100 per cent, we can't ask for any more. He will leave Hong Kong in grand fettle so then it comes down to the journey and how quickly and well he adapts to his new surroundings in Melbourne.'