Eagle Mountain is on course to attempt some "Bastille Day" glory in Paris on Saturday where the beaten Irish Derby favourite will line up for the Group One Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
Kieren Fallon will again team up with the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt who followed his second to Authorized in the Epsom Derby with a disappointing third to his stable companion, Soldier Of Fortune, at the Curragh just 10 days ago.
The champion trainer also has Yellowstone, Honolulu and Admiralofthefleet in the mile-and-half feature which highlights France's national holiday but pointed to Eagle Mountain as his likely representative. "At the moment the plan is to run Eagle Mountain. I would say he is the only one likely to go and I would imagine Kieren will go there rather than ride at the Curragh. The horse seems to be fine after his run the last day," O'Brien said yesterday.
It's just two years since O'Brien and Fallon combined to land the Grand Prix de Paris with Scorpion who went on to land the St Leger at Doncaster that season.
O'Brien also indicated yesterday he may have three runners in Sunday's Darley Irish Oaks where the subsequent Pretty Polly winner Peeping Fawn will attempt to bridge the half-length gap that Light Shift had over her when winning the Epsom Oaks over a month ago.
"As well as Peeping Fawn, we will possibly run All My Loving and Uimhir A Haon in the race," he said.
All My Loving finished third in that Epsom Oaks before being a beaten favourite in the Ribblesdale Stakes when runner-up to Silkwood at Royal Ascot.
That Michael Jarvis-trained filly is also expected to figure among the entries for the Oaks after today's vital forfeit stage for the fourth classic of the season in Ireland. The going at the Curragh is currently "soft" with an unsettled weather forecast for the next few days.
Arch Swing will be the Group One Irish interest at Newmarket tomorrow after she was the sole Irish runner among the eight left in the Falmouth Stakes at yesterday's 48-hour declaration stage.
There will also be significant Irish interest in the Cherry Hinton Stakes for two-year-olds although Aidan O'Brien did warn yesterday that deteriorating ground conditions could scupper a run by You'resothrilling.
There appear to be no such concerns about the Queen Mary winner Elletelle whose trainer, Ger Lyons, is expecting another big run in the six-furlong event despite a 3lb penalty.
"She has put on 14 kilos since she came home from Ascot so she is thriving. She is the only Group Two winner so she is the one to beat. Obviously it would be better if she was on levels," he said.
The countdown to the Galway festival began yesterday with the official opening of the new €22 million Killanin Stand and also confirmation that a much smaller €150,000 investment will mean no worries about water during race week.
Water supply problems in the Galway area due to the cryptosporidium bacteria have been on-going throughout the summer but the racecourse authorities have assured racegoers and racing professionals that there will be no problems at Ballybrit.
A water filtration and UV light system costing €150,000 has been installed at all outlets and tests last Friday confirmed no problems with the supply. An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern officially opened the new 7,000-capacity stand yesterday after a 44-week construction period - €10 million euro was supplied in grants by Horse Racing Ireland.
Michael Kinane is going west to Roscommon again this evening and his record when teaming up with Waterford trainer John Kiely means Migmatite looks a good bet in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden.
