EVEN AIDAN O’Brien’s Classic hot-streak in Britain this season fades in comparison to the champion trainer’s recent dominance of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby but Speaking Of Which is set to be at the forefront of a strong local challenge to Ballydoyle at the Curragh later this month.

The Epsom Derby hero Camelot remains among a battery of O’Brien horses that could give him a remarkable seven-in-a-row in Ireland’s premier Classic in just over three weeks time, and a 10th overall.

However, unlike in some previous years, O’Brien’s home opposition could be opposing him in force including Dermot Weld who is the last Irish trainer besides O’Brien to land the Derby with Grey Swallow in 2004.

The Curragh handler confirmed yesterday that his spectacular nine-length Gallinule Stakes winner Speaking Of Which is on track for the Derby and Weld added he is “hopeful” about the son of Invincible Spirit lasting out the mile and a half.

“He was impressive over an extended mile at Cork in his maiden and was very impressive over a mile and a quarter in the Gallinule. Hopefully he gets the mile and a half. He is a horse with a lot of pace and whether he carries that over a mile and a half remains to be seen. But he is a big, improving horse who is very progressive,” Weld said yesterday.

Speaking Of Which is out of a Mr Prospector mare which has led some pedigree experts to doubt his chances of being fully effective at the Classic distance.

But the chances of a break in the Ballydoyle dominance of the Irish Derby, which began with Dylan Thomas in 2006 and continued through to Treasure Beach last season, is not just dependant on Weld.

It is 20 years since Jim Bolger saddled his sole Irish Derby winner to date, St Jovite, but Light Heavy has taken a tried-and-trusted trial route through the Ballysax and the Derrinstown and won both in tight finishes.

John Oxx, an Irish Derby winner with both Sinndar (2000) and Alamshar (2003), also hopes to run Akeed Mofeed in the big race but concedes he faces a battle with the clock to get him there.

Akeed Mofeed missed both the English and Irish Guineas, and the Epsom Derby, through injury setbacks but is back in work with the Irish Derby as an aim.

“He has had two, three week periods this season where he has done only walking and trotting. He is back cantering again now and has four clear weeks to the race but it will be a tough ask. He is up against it. But the Irish Derby remains the plan,” Oxx said.

In other news Dermot Weld confirmed yesterday that his Group One winner Emulous will appear next in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, his high-class three-year-old, Yellow Rosebud, is unlikely to travel to the famous meeting.

“She appreciates a dig in the ground and she didn’t get that in the Irish Guineas.

“I wouldn’t rule out Ascot if there was a cut in the ground but that is highly unlikely so we could be looking at the second half of the season with her.

“Emulous also likes a cut but she is a mature five-year-old now and she will run in the Windsor Forest regardless of the conditions. Her limbs are simply more mature,” Weld said.

Emulous, winner of the Matron Stakes last season, impressed on her reappearance at the Curragh over the Guineas weekend when landing a Group Three in good style.

Weld also didn’t rule out running his dual-purpose mare Unaccompanied in Friday night’s Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.

Either she or Sense Of Purpose will fly the Moyglare flag in the Listed event.