Saffron Walden, a disappointing seventh to Oath in Saturday's Epsom Derby, could have another crack at a mile and a half classic in the Budweiser Irish Derby.
Aidan O'Brien said yesterday that the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner will be given a short rest but didn't rule him out of his Irish Derby calculations.
"It's hard to assess if he stayed at Epsom or not. He was carried back at the top of the hill but he was only beaten just over four lengths and he has a lot of courage," O'Brien said.
Other Ballydoyle colts in the frame for the Curragh are the Gallinule winner, Urban Ocean, the French Derby fifth, Tchaikovsky, and the Curragh maiden winner, Genghis Khan.
Of the latter, O'Brien said: "He is improving and needs racing but he could run in the Irish Derby."
Dermot Weld confirmed Port Bayou also on course for the June 27th classic and was yesterday thinking what might have been had injury not ruled Port Bayou out of last weekend's Belmont Stakes.
"The way the race turned out, it confirmed my belief that the Belmont was there for the taking. But the horse is back in full swing for the Irish Derby," Weld said.
Montjeu is reported to be on course for the Curragh following his impressive win in the Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly on Sunday.
Trainer John Hammond said: "The horse is fine and ideally he will now go for the Irish Derby providing the ground isn't too firm."
Bookmakers favour oath
Oath was given a double vote of confidence yesterday ahead of his likely Curragh clash with Montjeu. Coral make Saturday's Epsom Derby winner 8 to 11 favourite in a special match bet with the French colt who won the Prix du Jockey-Club in the mud at Chantilly.
And British Horseracing Board handicapper Nigel Gray revealed he rates Oath "well up to standard" after his length-and-three-quarter defeat of Daliapour at Epsom.
Gray, responsible for handicapping middle-distance races, said: "I have rated him 123. All the recent Derby winners have been rated in the low to mid-120s immediately after Epsom and Oath is well up to that standard. Lammtarra and Shaamit were on 123, Benny The Dip 124 and High-Rise 125.
"Oath has shown improvement with every race. He went into the Derby on 117 after his five-length Dee Stakes win and with the rise in trip he looks to have progressed again.
"The form looks solid as Daliapour had a similar rating to High-Rise after the Lingfield Derby Trial and has clearly run his best race."
Gray would not be drawn into a comparison with Montjeu, as he has not yet spoken to his French counterpart. But he added: "If Oath and Montjeu run at the Curragh it would be a mouth-watering clash - really something to savour."
