Racing/Derby news and preview: The defection of Yeats from Saturday's Derby has resulted in a dramatic alteration to Aidan O'Brien's classic team, with Meath now replacing the long-time favourite at Epsom.
The Gallinule Stakes winner had been pencilled in as a possible starter in Sunday's Prix du Jockey Club, but will now carry Ballydoyle's hopes in England instead.
"Meath is very well and we're very happy with him," O'Brien said yesterday. "You can't be sure he will stay, and he did show a lot of pace at Leopardstown, but when he won at the Curragh he was only starting to pull away at the finish. So we have to be hopeful."
Meath has been installed as a 20 to 1 shot to give O'Brien at third Derby triumph in four years at Epsom.
As a result of the re-shuffle, Five Dynasties, a flop in the Lingfield Derby Trial on his only start this term, will run for O'Brien in the French Derby, while Moscow Ballet will take his chance in the Group One Prix Jean Prat on the same card at Chantilly.
With a trio of fillies, All Too Beautiful, Necklace and Kisses For Me, due to line up in tomorrow's Oaks, and Brian Boru in the Coronation Cup, O'Brien still faces a busy weekend. But there was obvious disappointment yesterday at Yeats having to be taken out.
"We looked at him again this morning and his muscle problems had not improved sufficiently, so we had to think of the best interests of the horse and not run in the Derby. It's bitterly disappointing for everyone at Ballydoyle as Yeats has always worked like a champion.
"He is very similar to Galileo and we trained him to take the Galileo route to Epsom."
Yeats will also miss the Irish Derby and faces a complete rest before a possible return in the autumn.
Yeats had been favourite for the classic all through the winter, but yesterday bookmakers' lists were headed by Snow Ridge, the mount of Frankie Dettori who is seeking his first victory in the Derby at Epsom.
Jamie Spencer has elected to ride All Too Beautiful in the Oaks, with John Murtagh coming in for the mount on Necklace.
Paul Scallan is on board the outsider Kisses For Me as Ballydoyle and Godolphin dominate the seven-strong field.
Another trainer who could be on the classic trail this weekend is Dermot Weld, who will make a decision this morning about a possible contender for the French Derby.
Weld has Grey Swallow, Relaxed Gesture and Cairdeas left in the Chantilly feature.
The opening three-year-old maiden at Clonmel this evening features the consistent Indigo Sky and the John Oxx-trained Mascalucia, who has just a second start.
The first resulted in the Mtoto filly starting favourite at the Curragh a month ago and ultimately finishing fifth to Mufradat. Normal improvement from that may see her home in front this time.
Ruby Walsh looks a significant booking in the Beginners Chase for Akali, who ran third to Green Finger at Ballinrobe just under a month ago.
David Casey's mount Samasakhan was a novice chase winner on decent ground at Listowel last year and is preferred to the course winner Give Me Style in the handicap chase.
National Honour should be okay on the forecast "firm" ground in the handicap hurdle, while Batang can follow up a Wexford maiden success in the novice hurdle.
