O'Brien runs two in Derby

Aidan O'Brien will run both Risk Material and Saratoga Springs in Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby, although he hasn't finalised…

Aidan O'Brien will run both Risk Material and Saratoga Springs in Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby, although he hasn't finalised riding plans.

Christy Roche is expected to ride Risk Material but as for Saratoga Springs, who has had three overseas runs this season, O'Brien said: "No jockey arrangements have been made but both horses are in good form."

The Epsom Derby winner, High-Rise, is expected to be supplemented for the race tomorrow at a cost of £75,000. Although there is currently some give in the Curragh ground, a spokesman for trainer Luca Cumani said: "He's not a horse who needs top of the ground and has won on the soft." Olivier Peslier will again ride.

Sunday's race will see the first clash between the Epsom and Chantilly Derby winners since Commander In Chief beat Hernando in 1993. French trainer Pascal Bary reports the Prix du Jockey Club winner Dream Well to be in "good form".

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The Epsom runner-up City Honours will also take his chance, as will Noel Meade's Sunshine Street, fourth at 150 to 1 at Epsom.

Frances Crowley has made a blistering start to her new career since joining the training ranks early last month, and the Pilltown-based handler brought her tally to seven when completing a double with Southern Man ands Colin's Rock at Clonmel yesterday.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column