High Chaparral to run in Irish Derby

Vodafone Derby winner High Chaparral will bid to follow up in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, Aidan O'Brien announced today…

Vodafone Derby winner High Chaparral will bid to follow up in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, Aidan O'Brien announced today.

But Epsom runner-up Hawk Wing will step down in trip to a mile and a quarter to tackle next month's Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

"We have decided that High Chaparral will run at the Curragh, with Ballingarry and two others," their trainer said. "Hawk Wing will go for the Eclipse."

Galileo and Sinndar have completed the Epsom-Curragh double in the past two years.

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O'Brien also outlined his team for Royal Ascot next week, with Johannesburg having his first run since the Kentucky Derby in the Golden Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs.

"He is well and he is working nicely," the trainer said.

O'Brien will saddle Sagitta 2000 Guineas and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Rock Of Gibraltar plus French 2000 Guineas victor Landseer in the St James's Palace Stakes next Tuesday, when Century City will lead the team into action in the opening Queen Anne Stakes.

Spartacus will be accompanied by either Marino Marini, Statue of Liberty or Ontario in the Coventry Stakes, with those ruled out of that contest going instead for the Windsor Castle Stakes or Norfolk Stakes.

But Tendulkar is not a certain starter for the Jersey Stakes as he has been held up in his work by a bruised sesamoid.

Other likely runners for O'Brien, who had four winners at the Royal meeting last year, are:

Queen Mary Stakes - Proud Beauty; Prince of Wales Stakes - Bach; Chesham Stakes - Tomahawk; Ribblesdale Sakes - Starbourne; King Edward Stakes - Diaghilev; Coronation Stakes - Sophisticat, Alsteneria; Queen's Vase - Black Sam Bellamy.

PA