Aidan O'Brien indicated yesterday he could take a substantial team to Epsom aiming for what would be a historic third Derby success in a row.

The Ballydoyle trainer was triple handed in the Derby last year and also in 1998 but the strength in depth of the O'Brien team may yet see that trumped.

Although Refuse To Bend was backed down to 5 to 2 Derby favouritism with Paddy Power yesterday, with Alamshar on 7 to 2, O'Brien-trained colts fill the next five places in their ante-post betting.

Catcher In The Rye was runner-up in the French 2,000 Guineas on Sunday at Longchamp, where Alberto Giacometti was third in the Prix Lupin.

However, O'Brien's faith still seem to rest principally with the former winter favourite Brian Boru, third to Alamshar in the Derrinstown on Sunday.

"We haven't won any of the trials but we haven't panicked," O'Brien said yesterday.

"Trials are trials. You can train for them but you sometimes have to sacrifice them if you are looking ahead to the bigger picture.

"We always try and find out about the horses and use the trials to find out what they can and can't do," he added.

Brian Boru drifted out as far as 10 to 1 for the Derby with some firms after his run on Sunday but O'Brien was far from discouraged.

"Brian Boru had to give 5lb to very eligible horses on Sunday and the pace wasn't 100 per cent to suit him either," he said.

"If we weren't thinking about the Derby we'd have popped it to him, he'd have followed the pace and he'd have got into a battle a furlong out. We'd have given him a few thumps and probably got into a real battle.

"But the last thing we wanted was to give him a race against a race-fit Alamshar who was getting 5lb. We didn't want to get into a hard battle with Epsom just four weeks away.

"The improvement has to come but we know what he has to go and do now." O'Brien also said he was much happier with his powerful string in the past week than he had been beforehand.

"I don't know what it is but last week was the first time I was in the barn and I was happy with everything. For whatever reason they have been slow to come to hand. Maybe I was too hard on them in December when they were still recovering from the virus.

"But we haven't rushed them and that's why I was pleased with Alberto Giacometti's run. They're progressing with a run and just coming now," he declared.