CLIFFS TO TOP O’BRIEN RAID
AIDAN O’BRIEN is likely to be mob-handed in the Investec Derby on June 3, so his stand-out colt Churchill is almost certain to line up in Saturday’s Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh instead.
O’Brien, who confirmed 1,000 Guineas winner Winter will try to complete a double in Sunday’s Irish equivalent, said that key Derby work-outs will take place this week.
Sir John Lavery, one of the big reputation horses in O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable before a disappointing sixth in the Lingfield trial, will miss Epsom and head to Royal Ascot.
But the O’Brien long-list of Derby candidates is headed by Dee Stakes winner Cliffs of Moher and includes Chester Vase 1-2-3 Venice Beach, Wings Of Eagles and The Anvil plus Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial 1-2-3 Douglas Macarthur, Yucatan and Capri.
O’Brien said: ‘The lads haven’t really made up their minds yet but I would say Churchill running in the Irish 2,000 Guineas is going to happen. Sir John Lavery was just ready to start at Lingfield. He got very tired. I would imagine he will miss the Derby and go straight to one of the races at Royal Ascot.’
Asked if he was likely to run plenty of his Derby contenders, O’Brien added: ‘I’d imagine that will be the case. You get talking horses up to the Derby but they don’t always materialise. They’ll go into the race together and we’ll find out then. That’s the way we treat ours. You wait for the Derby to see who comes to the top.’
O’Brien’s Caravaggio is 6-4 favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after a blistering comeback win in the Lacken Stakes at Naas yesterday under Ryan Moore.
On the same card, Jessica Harrington-trained Alpha Centauri laid down a marker for the Albany Stakes at the royal meeting with a five-length win in the five-furlong Listed race.
Godolphin jockey William Buick will appeal against the five-day careless riding ban he picked up when winning on Alqamar at York on Friday.
The ban, which starts on Investec Oaks day (June 2), also rules Buick out of the Derby and will cost him a ride on Jack Hobbs in the Coronation Cup.
lJUMPS trainer Dan Skelton continued his red-hot start to the season when a double at Market Rasen with I’ll Be Your Clown and Too Many Diamonds took him to 22 wins for the campaign.
l SOUL STIRRING became the first Classic winner sired by Frankel when successful in the Japanese Oaks in Tokyo.