? Ballydoyle stable have four of the nine entries for Classic
? Carlton House will try to put Epsom defeat behind him
Aidan O'Brien's hopes of winning the Irish Derby for the sixth year running received a setback on Tuesday when Recital, sixth home in the Derby at Epsom this month, was ruled out of Sunday's race at the Curragh. However, the Queen's colt Carlton House, who has yet to be declared a certain starter, still appears to be the main obstacle to Ballydoyle's continued domination of the Classic after nine horses stood their ground at the five-day stage.
In all, O'Brien has four of the nine entries, with Roderic O'Connor, eighth in the French Derby last time out, stepping in to replace Recital alongside Treasure Beach, the Epsom runner-up, Seville and Memphis Tennessee. Native Khan, who ran well to finish fifth in the Derby, is also due to run, while the remaining three entries are outsiders in the betting at odds of 25-1 and above.
The market for Sunday's race revolves around Carlton House, who started the 5-2 favourite for the Derby at Epsom as he attempted to give the Queen a much-desired first victory in Britain's foremost Classic. Despite finishing three-quarters of a length behind Treasure Beach, he is currently top-priced at 13-8, and is as short as 5-4 with some bookmakers.
The bare form of the Derby does not tell the whole story, since Carlton House suffered a minor training setback less than a week before the race and was confirmed as a runner just 24 hours beforehand. He was also slightly hampered by retreating outsiders on the sharp turn around Tattenham Corner, before delivering a powerful burst of speed from three out that he could not maintain inside the final furlong as Pour Moi charged past to victory.
The Epsom form had its first test at Royal Ascot last week, when Pisco Sour, who was only ninth of the 13 starters at odds of 50-1 in the Derby, took the Tercentenary Stakes at 20-1. His performance was also a boost for the form of the Dante Stakes at York, in which he finished third behind Carlton House and Seville.
If Carlton House goes to post on Sunday, O'Brien will be unable to call on Ryan Moore to partner one of his starters. Kieren Fallon, who was forced to miss the ride on Recital at Epsom after an unprecedented court action by the owner of Native Khan, seems likely to get the call for one of the four Ballydoyle colts, while the trainer's son Joseph, who steered Roderic O'Connor to victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in May, could renew the partnership this weekend.
Fallon was also backed to ride So You Think, one of O'Brien's stable stars, in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown a week on Saturday. Coral, the race sponsor, cut Fallon to 6-4 favourite (from 5-1) to replace Ryan Moore, who partnered So You Think when he finished second in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot but is likely to be claimed to ride Workforce, last year's Derby winner.
Jamie Spencer is 9-2 to get the leg-up on So You Think, while Seamus Heffernan and Christophe Soumillon are bracketed as 6-1 chances.
Brown Panther, who ran away with the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot, is a possible runner in the German Derby on Sunday week after his connections decided not to supplement him for the Irish Derby.
The son of the top-class German-bred performer Shirocco is also one of the ante-post favourites for the St Leger, and was bred by his part-owner Michael Owen.
Speaking on his Twitter account, Owen said on Tuesday: "Restless 24 hours. Been seriously thinking of supplementing Brown Panther for the Irish Derby on Sunday. Decided against it in the end.
"Only nine days after Ascot could be asking too much. German Derby the following week is a possibility."
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jun/21/aidan-obrien-irish-derby-carlton-house
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