Meath set for a step up in France

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Meath has earned his own shot at Classic glory and will be aimed at the French Derby at Chantilly.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Meath has earned his own shot at Classic glory and will be aimed at the French Derby at Chantilly.

Sunday's Gallinule Stakes winner is being lined up for the Prix du Jockey Club on Sunday week, the day after his stable companion Yeats is scheduled to go in the Epsom Derby.

Meath earned a 16 to 1 quote for Epsom from Paddy Power after his length-and-a-half defeat of Cairdeas at the weekend and may yet get to run in the blue riband if Yeats is unable to run.

"If, for any reason, Yeats can't go to Epsom then Meath will run instead. But the plan is for Yeats to go to Epsom and Meath to France," O'Brien said. "You are never sure if they will stay but we've always thought Meath would appreciate a step up."

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The Ballydoyle could be triple-handed in the Epsom Oaks as Necklace, who finished sixth in Sunday's Irish 1,000 Guineas, is set to join O'Brien's team for the fillies Classic.

"All Too Beautiful and Baraka are in there too but Baraka needs it soft and All Too Beautiful has a round action so whether they run or not is ground dependant. The plan with Necklace was always to run in the two Guineas and then go to the Oaks," he added.

John Oxx effectively ruled Azamour out of Epsom who instead will go to Royal Ascot for the St James's Palace Stakes.

"I haven't discussed it yet with His Highness (Aga Khan) but I don't expect a decision will be made to go to Epsom," says Oxx.

"We will give him one more try at a Group One over a mile so the St James's Palace will be next. Perhaps we will go over a mile and a quarter later. He has come out of the Guineas in great shape."

Classic action this coming weekend will switch to Italy where Dermot Weld is planning to run Relaxed Gesture in the Derby Italiano.

Weld had considered sending the colt to either the Belmont Stakes or supplementing him into the Epsom Derby but has elected to try and emulate his previous Italian Derby winner In A Tiff.

Before that, Weld's triple Irish St Leger hero Vinnie Roe is entered to make his seasonal debut in tomorrow night's Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.

Watering is continuing at the track where the ground is reported as "good to firm". John Oxx confirmed yesterday he will run his Wexford maiden winner Darabanka in the Saval Beg.

The fall out from the controversial Saturday evening meeting at Kilbeggan, which almost didn't take place due to action by the jockeys' valets, continues at the Turf Club this morning.

Valet Dave Fox is scheduled to appear before the Appeals & Referrals Committee after a complaint lodged by the Association of Irish Racecourses.

Stable staff are also awaiting the result of the hearing ahead of fixtures this weekend at Limerick and Wexford, where pay issues could again come to a head.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column