DUFF HAS A GOLDEN CHANCE.

Byline: PETER O'HEHIR

DUFF earned a crack at next Saturday's Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot when landing the featured Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown last night.

Sent to the front early in the straight by Fran Berry, the tough six-year-old held the late surge of Dohasa by a neck to record his first win at Group 3 level.

Winning trainer Eddie Lynam said: "He's won four listed races, at three different trips. And it's great to win a Group 3 with him. He's in at Royal Ascot next week, in the Golden Jubilee. And we'll probably go and have a go."

In the earlier two-year-old action, debutante Termagant proved a 14/1 shock in the fillies maiden.

Trainer Kevin Prendergast was narrowly denied a double when Montecchio went down by a short-head to Perfect Symmetry in the colts' event.

The winner was ridden by Keagan Latham for Ger Lyons, who described the colt as 'honest with a good attitude'.

TWO meetings tonight, a jumps card at Clonmel and flat action at Navan where the Aidan O'Brien-trained Changingoftheguard should recoup recent Curragh losses in the finale, the 10-furlong Peter O'Brien Landscapes Maiden.

Fifth to Space Telescope in a Leopardstown maiden in is only juvenile start, Changingoftheguard finished a creditable second to the useful Harbinger at Chester on his three-year-old debut.

But, last time, backed down to 4/9 favouritism, he let his supporters down in a Curragh maiden, when finishing third behind the Jim Bolger-trained L'Impressario.

The son of Montjeu gave the impression he would appreciate a step-up to a mile and a half. So, racing again over 10 furlongs today, I expect Johnny Murtagh to make full use of his stamina. And the colt should land the spoils.

Good to see Paul Townend back in action. And he can make a winning return on Willie Mullins' accomplished hurdler/chaser Deutschland, off a mark of 78, in the Live Music After Racing Apprentice Handicap.

And the combination of Ger Lyons and Keagan Latham, on the mark again at Leopardstown last night, might score with French Irish in the featured 80's Mania Race.

At Clonmel, Cuan Na Grai will be strongly fancied to follow-up his chasing debut win at Killarney in the Hyundai Sonata Novice Chase.

And the Conor O'Dwyertrained Stradbally should prove tough to beat in the opening Killenaule Maiden Hurdle, if reproducing his second to Cranky Corner at Gowran Park.

CAPTION(S):

GROUP 3 GLORY Fran Berry steers Duff home yesterday