Horse Racing: Hold That Tiger could miss out on the Derby and instead be held in reserve for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Aidan O'Brien outlined the options for the colt yesterday after also nominating a quartet of jockeys that are on Epsom standby for the Ballydoyle team in eight days' time.

Pat Eddery, Christophe Soumillon and Jamie Spencer are waiting to pick up the remnants once stable jockey Michael Kinane has picked his big race ride.

Kieren Fallon had been mentioned as a possible jockey for Hold That Tiger but Fallon has decided to side with the Michael Stoute-trained Kris Kin.

Yesterday O'Brien said: "We more than likely won't have a runner in the French Derby on Sunday. Instead they are all more likely to go to Epsom.

"Alberto Giacometti, Brian Boru, Balestrini and The Great Gatsby are in good form and likely to go to Epsom. But Hold That Tiger is only a possible.

"If he doesn't go to Epsom he will more than likely wait for the St James's Palace.

"We gave him a little break after the Guineas and he might just need more time."

Hold That Tiger was a 16 to 1 shot with Paddy Power yesterday. They also bet: 11-4 Refuse To Bend, 7-2 Brian Boru, 4 Alamshar, 12 Alberto Giacometti, 14 Kris Kin, 16 The Great Gatsby, Hold That Tiger, 20 bar.

Both Alberto Giacometti and Balastrini have been left in Sunday's Prix du Jockey Club but are likely to wait for Epsom instead.

O'Brien also left his Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up, France, in Sunday's Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly but said the colt probably wouldn't travel for the Group One pot.

Pat Eddery's booking by O'Brien for the Great Gatsby was a blow for Terry Mills, who had originally booked the veteran triple Derby winner for his Lingfield Trial runner-up, Let's Try Again.

There was less drama for John Oxx, who reported his Derby hope Alamshar to be in good shape ahead of Epsom.

However, Oxx said yesterday that fast ground would be ideal for the Derrinstown winner.

"The faster the better. It will suit Alamshar and mightn't help the Sadler's Wells' colts. But soft ground blunts our horse's turn of foot," he said.

"He has a lot of qualities. He is very relaxed, tough and puts his head down and strides out.

"He has come out of Leopardstown with no ill effects," Oxx added.

Oxx and John Murtagh will be competing for a less prestigious pot at Wexford this evening but their Zimbabwe looks an interesting contender for the Auction Maiden judged on a defeat of Nopekan at Thurles last year.

Mondeed, third to In The Park at Killarney, may be happier on the fast ground than Holly Lass in the bumper.