Australia spearheads Aidan O’Brien’s four-pronged assault on the Saturday’s Investec Derby at Epsom as he remained one of 17 horses in contention following the confirmation stage.
A son of 2001 Derby hero Galileo out of 2004 Oaks heroine Ouijia Board, Australia is the red-hot favourite to follow in the hoofprints of his parents following his excellent effort to finish third in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
O’Brien, who has made no secret of the regard in which he holds the exciting three-year-old, has saddled four previous Derby winners in Galileo, High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012) and last year’s victor Ruler Of The World.
The master of Ballydoyle is also set to run Geoffrey Chaucer, an unlucky third in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, Chester Vase winner Orchestra and Dee Stakes scorer Kingfisher.
Dermot Weld’s Fascinating Rock completed his hat-trick when promoted to first place in the Derrinstown at Leopardstown last month and he also stands his ground.
The John Oxx-trained Ebanoran passed the post first, but was relegated to second by the stewards following interference in the closing stages.
Speaking at Naas on Monday, Weld said of Fascinating Rock: "He is very well. He did his final piece of work on Sunday morning and Pat Smullen was very pleased with him.
“He’s very sound and very well. His work is more or less complete now.
“Provided everything is okay he’s a definite runner. Whatever way the ground goes he will run.”
Oxx, who was also in winning form at the Co Kildare venue, said of Ebanoran: “He is in good form, no problems thank God. Hopefully the next week goes well and it’s so far so good, he’s in good shape. We’ll find out on Saturday how good he is.
“He won his maiden on good ground and I think he’ll go well on fast ground, although soft doesn’t bother him either. We don’t have any issues with ground, not until he tells us differently anyway.”
Epsom’s clerk of the course Andrew Cooper was not completely ruling out the prospect of watering the famous turf should the forecast rain fail to materialise.
Following a dry weekend on the Downs the going is on the soft side of good, but that could ease in the coming days, with significant rainfall a possibility for Wednesday.
However, with the forecast uncertain, Cooper believes it would be unwise to completely dismiss the chances of turning on the taps ahead of Investec Oaks day on Friday.
Cooper told At The Races: “I don’t think you can have absolute confidence in what’s going to happen rain-wise this week. It does increasingly look as though Wednesday will be the key day in terms of likelihood of rainfall. It could be a five to 10 millimetre day.
“The week as a whole remains unsettled. I don’t think we’ll see much rain today, but there could be showers around Tuesday, Thursday looks dry and Friday is a bit of a mixed bag.”
He added: “Our ultimate going aim for this meeting is to not run the Derby on ground that’s quicker than good to firm.”
John Gosden has decided to supplement Romsdal, beaten just a nose by Orchestra at Chester, following a workmanlike racecourse gallop at Newmarket last week.
Gosden already has a leading contender in the unbeaten Sandown Classic Trial winner Western Hymn.
Roger Varian’s Racing Post Trophy hero Kingston Hill impressed work-watchers when traversing the Epsom turf in a gallop last week and is another major player, as is Michael Stoute’s Snow Sky, winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial.
Godolphin have three contenders in Pinzolo, Sudden Wonder and True Story.
Arod is an intriguing runner for dual Derby-winning trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam, having pushed Sunday’s French Derby winner The Grey Gatsby close in the Dante Stakes at York.
The William Haggas-trained Our Channel was game and determined in notching up his second career win in the Epsom Derby Trial in April and he will be partnered by Silvestre de Sousa for the first time.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Our Channel’s owner Abdulla Al Mansoori, said: “Silvestre de Sousa will ride Our Channel who did his final piece of work on Thursday and William (Haggas) was very happy with him.”
Andrew Balding’s Impulsive Moment and Red Galileo from Ed Dunlop’s yard complete the entries.
