FRENCH DERBY AND FAIRYHOUSE:AIDAN O'BRIEN has four options for Sunday's French Derby at Chantilly, but there could be further Irish interest in the €1.5 million Classic as jockey Wayne Lordan has been pencilled in for the ride on the Group One-winning colt Zafisio.
Darryll Holland’s 21-day suspension rules him out of the Prix Du Jockey Club and trainer Roger Curtis has turned to Co Cork-born Lordan to replace him.
Zafisio landed last year’s Criterium International at Saint-Cloud for Paul Blockey and was transferred to Curtis after Blockley had his training licence suspended. The Efisio colt finished runner-up on his last start in the German 2,000 Guineas.
“The plan has always been to go to the French Derby, but ground would be a worry. At the moment they are saying it is good, but expecting it to go good to firm. If it does we could be up against it,” Curtis said yesterday.
“At the moment, though, he is going to run and we’ve got Wayne as Darryll is banned. He has come out of the German Guineas in smashing form and I think the trip will suit,” he added.
A total of 19 horses remain in the Jockey Club field with a supplementary stage tomorrow.
Westphalia heads O’Brien’s options for a Classic event he has yet to win with Drumbeat, Malibu Bay and Set Sail also possible runners in the 10½-furlong event.
The home team is headed by the French 2,000 Guineas winner Silver Frost on whom Christophe Soumillion is pursuing a fourth Jockey Club success.
Sea The Stars still remains among the 19 entries, but is being pointed at the Epsom Derby on Saturday instead.
Watering began at Leopardstown yesterday morning ahead of tomorrow night’s evening fixture where the feature race will be the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes over six furlongs.
Going conditions are also quickening up at the Curragh which stages an evening fixture on Saturday featuring the Listed Mogeely Stud Silver Stakes.
Twenty six horses remain in contention to run in the 10-furlong event including Dermot Weld’s Rare Ransom who ran fourth to Again in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Other possible runners include Kargali and Beach Bunny who is being upped from a mile after finishing runner up to Emily Blake on her last start over the Guineas weekend.
Aidan O’Brien’s son, Joseph, attempts to build on his first winner at Leopardstown six days ago when he teams up with his father’s runner Liszt in this evening’s mile and a half handicap at Fairyhouse.
In just a five-runner race, O’Brien will have to contend with the legendary figure of Mick Kinane who rides the Dundalk winner Adjaliya for the Aga Khan.
Liszt has to concede weight all round but O’Brien Jnr looked good value for his 10lb claim on Johann Zoffany last week and freed from pacemaking duties for Fame And Glory, Liszt can come out on top.
Kinane should have better luck in the concluding maiden on board Cluain Alainn. A member of the Ridgewood Pearl family, this Dalakhani colt brought a big reputation into his sole start to date at the Curragh last March, but looked to race very green.
Over two months later he is back for another appearance and that experience should prove invaluable.
The regally-bred Emperor Claudius tries to build on his own debut in the opening auction maiden but may be hard pressed to cope with Grace And Virtue who belied her 33 to 1 odds with a fine debut at the Curragh behind Alshahbaa.
