O'Brien Outlines Epsom Plans

Epsom hosted their Breakfast With The Stars morning on Tuesday and despite the absence of any major equine stars the G1 Investec Derby picture became a bit clearer with the news there is a strong chance that ante-post favourite Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) will feature among the mob handed Ballydoyle challenge for the race. The super impressive winner of the G3 MBNA Chester Vase and 'TDN Rising Star' is not currently entered in the Derby and would have to be supplemented at a cost of £85,000 and despite recent speculation that he could be rerouted to Chantilly for the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, O'Brien confirmed Epsom is the favoured option.

“Epsom is always where we want to be – the lads would prefer Sir Dragonet went to Epsom rather than France,” he said. “We don't have to make our mind up until the supplementary stage but we are favouring Epsom. John [Magnier] has always considered Epsom to be the holy grail.” O'Brien has won nearly every Derby trial this year bar the G2 Dante S. at York and as a result it will be no surprise to see a similar situation June 1 to 2017 when Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) was one of six to represent the trainer. The likes of Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Anthony Van Dyke (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Cape Of Good Hope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) have all impressed in their trials and summing up O'Brien said, “The lads will decide how many to run but there will be a good crew there.”

O'Brien isn't the only Irish trainer with a Derby challenger as Kevin Prendergast is also planning to let Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) take his chance. Sheikh Hamdan's colt was a fast finishing fourth in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and Prendergast his hopeful the extra distance will be a plus for the horse's chance. “Madhmoon is doing very well and we are very happy with him. We felt the draw [in the Guineas] might be okay, but listening to the jockeys after the race, it was not a good draw. He won twice at a mile as a 2-year-old and that was a good indication for a horse that wants a longer trip than a mile at least. Hopefully he will get the extra half-mile. He is very straightforward and is always a fresh horse. He will have a couple of three-parts spins and that is about it,” Prendergast said.