Johnston sets sights on Curragh

TRAINER Mark Johnston has said his Investec Derby runner-up Dee Ex Bee will run the Irish Derby at the Curragh a week today. Johnston confirmed the colt will attempt to show his superiority over Aidan O’Brien’s Saxon Warrior after James Doyle-ridden Main Edition had given him a second win of the week here in the Albany Stakes. There had been a chance Johnston could run Dee Ex Bee in yesterday’s King Edward VII Stakes when his intended contender Mildenberger pulled out with a foot abscess. Johnston’s success with Main Edition, which followed his win with Baghdad in Thursday’s King George V Stakes, took his royal meeting tally to 43. He said: ‘The bookies will start talking about the 1,000 Guineas now but there are a lot of big two year-old races to think about before that. We are only in June.’ Johnston, closing in on Richard Hannon Snr’s record total of 4,193 British wins, has a big chance with another filly, the onceraced Natalie’s Joy, in this afternoon’s Chesham Stakes. He said: ‘She won in a great time at Goodwood but the proviso in that is based on one run and experience counts a lot at Ascot.’