Pius has credentials

Stay-at-home punters will be able to look at recorded highlights of Aidan O'Brien's triple Group One challenge at tomorrow's …

Stay-at-home punters will be able to look at recorded highlights of Aidan O'Brien's triple Group One challenge at tomorrow's French Guineas meeting.

BBC's Sunday Grandstand programme plan to show the 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas and the traditional French Derby trial, the Prix Lupin.

The appearance of the double Group One winner American Post will be eagerly awaited in the Poule D'Essai des Poulains ahead of a probable start in the Epsom Derby, but one man hoping to stall that attempt will be O'Brien.

Antonius Pius finished runner-up to American Post in the Prix de Fontainbleau last month, only to be subsequently moved back to fourth by the stewards for causing interference.

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Jamie Spencer is on the colt again tomorrow with Paul Scallan on board O'Brien's other runner, the Loughbrown winner Newton.

Spencer will be on board Royal Tigress in the Poule D'Essai de Pouliches against the Godolphin duo Carry On Katie and Cairns, while Esperanto is the O'Brien hope against American Post's stablemate Millemax, winner of the Grefulhe last time, in the Lupin.

There are increasing signs that Haafhd could attempt to add next weekend's Boylesports Irish 2,000 Guineas to his earlier victory in the Newmarket Guineas. The Barry Hills-trained colt is reportedly due to work this weekend, but Haafhd was the one punters wanted in the sponsor's ante-post market yesterday.

"Haafhd was 9 to 4 joint favourite with One Cool Cat, but the smart money is coming for him and he is now our 7 to 4 favourite. It's looking like he is going to come," said a Boylesports spokesman.

Grey Swallow will be the representative of the Dermot Weld-Pat Smullen team in the Guineas, but they are on the trail of lesser spoils at Downpatrick today where Tanwir is likely to be long odds on in the mile and a half maiden.

The Unfuwain filly was a length and a half off Senseansensibility on her Clonmel debut and should come out on top now.

Noel Meade runs Mount George in the opening hurdle, but Paul Carberry's presence on Corporate Express looks significant, even though the Halford runner hasn't since his sole hurdles start to date last August.

Carberry's sister Nina is always one to follow in Ladies races, and she can win out in the bumper on the Fairyhouse seventh Itsonlyapuppet.

Conditional jockey Gary Berridge was not allowed to ride at Aintree last night after failing a breathalyser test after his arrival at the track. He is the third jockey to have failed a test since breathalysing was introduced last July.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column