RACING: Aidan O'Brien looks set to play his full Derby hand at the weekend with Brian Boru appearing at Leopardstown and Alberto Giacometti going for the Prix Lupin at Longchamp. Brian O'Connor,Racing Correspondent reports.
Michael Kinane will travel to France for the Group One event where Alberto Giacometti is likely to be joined by his stable companion Balestrini.
The latter upset expectations last month by making all as a pacemaker in a Ballysax Stakes that threw up Alamshar as a leading contender for the Epsom Derby.
With the Guineas winner Refuse To Bend likely to go straight to Epsom, the all-powerful Ballydoyle team have been somewhat eclipsed in recent weeks but that could all change this weekend.
"It's not definite yet but it looks like Alberto Giacometti and Balestrini will go to France and Brian Boru, The Great Gatsby and maybe one other will run in the Derrinstown," O'Brien said yesterday.
The trainer has eight of the 14 entries still left in the Leopardstown Group Two which has produced the last three winners of the Epsom Derby.
Seamus Heffernan, who rode Galileo and High Chaparral to victory in the Derrinstown, is a probable jockey for Brian Boru who will be having his first start of the season against Alamshar.
Cashmans yesterday reported support for Alamshar in their match betting with Brian Boru and make the John Oxx horse a 2 to 5 shot to finish in front of Brian Boru (7 to 4).
Alberto Giacometti's task in the Lupin will be little easier considering the unbeaten Aga Khan colt, Dalakhani, is also an intended starter.
The Irish challenge for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the French 2,000 Guineas, also on Sunday is likely to be an all-O'Brien affair.
Dermot Weld's Cork winner Evolving Tactics remains in the French classic but the Curragh trainer said yesterday: "He is less likely to run. There is rain forecast and he is a fast ground horse. In fact he probably won't run anywhere for a while the way the weather is."
O'Brien yesterday nominated Catcher In The Rye, Dalcassian and France as a trio of likely runners in the Poulains, a race he won last year with the ill-fated Landseer.
Classic news further in the future centred on the chances of Saturn, fifth in the Newmarket Guineas on Saturday, travelling to the Curragh on May 24th for the Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas.
Trainer Michael Bell said: "He is in tremendous shape post-Newmarket and all options are open. The Irish Guineas is very seriously on the agenda and that is the route we will probably take."
Three British-trained hopes remain in the French 2,000 Guineas after the overnight defection of Sagitta 2,000 Guineas third Norse Dancer.
They are Gerard Butler's Elusive City, the Barry Hills-trained Makhlab and Saeed bin Suroor's Bourbonnais.
There are five British acceptors in the fillies' equivalent. They are Ed Dunlop's Nasij, Mick Channon's Londonnetdotcom, the Michael Stoute-trained Crystal Star, John Gosden's Pearl Dance and Godolphin's Anyaas.
Echoes In Eternity, Soviet Song and Duty Paid were all taken out.
