Christy Roche has elected to ride Sharp Catch from the strong Aidan O'Brien entry for Sunday's Airlie-Coolmore Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
O'Brien plans to run four fillies in the classic, including Shahtoush, runner-up to Cape Verdi in the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas, but Roche confirmed last night that he will be on Sharp Catch.
"I rode her in a bit of work on Tuesday and she went well," said Roche of Sharp Catch, who won her only start at Naas in October.
The daughter of Common Grounds was the stable second string on that occasion but beat her stable companion, Festival Song, by a short head over five furlongs.
With Roche having made his decision and Dermot Weld not having a runner in the race, Michael Kinane, who rode Shahtoush at Newmarket, could be reunited with the filly, who has been made an early 2 to 1 favourite. La-Faah was pulled out of the Hibernia Irish 2,000 Guineas yesterday. Barry Hills's charge had been expected to form part of a powerful raiding party which is also set to include Victory Note (Peter Chapple-Hyam), Desert Prince (David Loder) and Fa-Eq (Saeed bin Suroor).
But connections of the colt, owned by Hamdan Al-Maktoum, have decided he needs more time to recover from his exertions in France's equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas, in which he finished fourth.
French champion jockey Olivier Peslier was confirmed the rider of Desert Prince. Third to Victory Note in the French 2,000 Guineas and winner of Newmarket's Free Handicap, Desert Prince will be Peslier's second ride in the race. Desert Prince is a 10 to 1 chance with bookmaker Liam Cashman, who has made Second Empire his 6 to 4 favourite. Cashman then goes 3 to 1 Victory Note, 4 to 1 Fa-Eq, 10/1 Two-Twenty-Two.
The ground on the straight course at the Curragh is currently good but watering is taking place on the round course.
Britain's attack on the Irish 2,00 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday was reduced yesterday when "The horse is fine but he had a hard race in France and the race in Ireland comes a bit too soon," said Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold.
"We're going to give him more time and we haven't worked out alternative races for him yet. We'll see how he is in a week or so before making further plans for him."
Oliver Peslier is to be reunited with French 2,000 Guineas third Desert Prince in the classic. Meanwhile, punters looking for enlightenment as to the exact make-up of the Vodafone Derby field were left as puzzled as ever yesterday when four Aidan O'Brien-trained horses remained in the race.
O'Brien's Second Empire, King Of Kings, Saratoga Springs and Chateau Royal were among 27 horses left in at the final forfeit stage for the £500,000added classic at Epsom on June 6th.
In addition there is still the possibility that the Godolphin team will stump up the £75,000 to enter 1,000 Guineas winner Cape Verdi at the supplementary stage on May 30th.
Second Empire is among seven Irish-trained horses left in the Derby as well as a five-strong representation from France. "
Vodafone Derby entries after yesterday's forfeit stage: Border Arrow, Chateau Royal, City Honours, Cloclo, Courteous, Croco Rouge, Dream Well, Fa-Eq, Greek Dance, Gulland, Haami, High-Rise, King Of Kings, Make No Mistake, Mudeer, Mutamam, Pegnitz, Rabah, Sadian, Saratoga Springs, Second Empire, Sunshine Street, The Glow-Worm, Tornado Prince, Two-Twenty-Two, Uranus Quercus, Wild Tempo.
There is a supplementary stage on May 30th.
