Racing Focus on Irish Champion Stakes and Haydock Sprint CupAidan O'Brien hasn't ruled out taking on the top stars in next month's Baileys Irish Champion Stakes with Powerscourt.
Ballydoyle's sole top-level winner of 2004 is having an easy time at present after his luckless experience in the Arlington Million when stewards controversially threw him out of first place.
Jamie Spencer was widely criticised for his ride on Powerscourt in Chicago but may yet get the chance to make amends at Leopardstown in just over two weeks time.
"It's too early to say for sure where Powerscourt will go next but he is a possible for the Champion Stakes. He has loads of options and is in all the top races but we won't make our minds up for another while. He is just back from America and seems fine but he just isn't doing anything at the moment," O'Brien said yesterday.
Nevertheless Paddy Power rate Powerscourt as a 12 to 1 shot for the Champion Stakes which could develop into one of the strongest races of the season with Doyen leading the older brigade against three-year-olds like Grey Swallow and Azamour.
Before that, however, tomorrow week, One Cool Cat could get the chance to restore his own Group One credentials in the Haydock Sprint Cup.
He has already been installed a 3 to 1 favourite to the six furlong contest by Powers.
"One Cool Cat seems fine after his run at York and Haydock is a possible race for him. We will wait and see until closer to the time before deciding," O'Brien declared.
One Cool Cat could end up taking on a collection of horses who have managed to hit the Group One mark already in 2004 including the Maurice du Gheest winner Somnus and Whipper who won the Jacques Le Marois over a mile.
The Ballydoyle trainer hasn't given up on getting his 2003 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Yesterday back to the track after a bout of colitis earlier in the year almost killed her.
"All those fillies races are there for her but we haven't picked one yet," he said before reporting that this season's Oaks runner-up All Too Beautiful is also cantering and near a run.
O'Brien has a powerful entry for the final classic of the British season, the St Leger, but hasn't made his mind up yet about runners. However, there could be a strong Irish challenge for the prestigious Doncaster meeting in other Group races.
John Oxx is aiming the Galtres Stakes winner Tarakala at the Park Hill Stakes, the fillies Leger, over a mile and six furlongs and Willie Mullins is considering the Doncaster Cup for Holy Orders.
The enigmatic stayer bounced back to winning form with a vengeance at Fairyhouse last Sunday and Mullins is leaning towards a trip to England next rather than the Oyster Stakes at Galway.
The Stakes action in Ireland this weekend consists solely of the Listed Denny Cordell Lavarack Stakes for fillies and the entries include Livadiya who was a huge gamble when topweight for the McDonogh Handicap at the Galway festival.
IRISH CHAMPION STAKES BETTING: (Paddy Power) 5-4 Doyen, 4 Grey Swallow, 9-2 Azamour, 5 (with a run) Mister Monet, 6 Bago, 8 Rakti, 12 Powerscourt, 14 Warssan, 16 Bar.
HAYDOCK SPRINT CUP: 3 One Cool Cat, 9-2 Somnus, 5 Frizzante, 8 Whipper, 10 Bar.
