Weld eyes Epsom

RACING: Dermot Weld is giving serious consideration to running In Time's Eye in the Epsom Derby.

RACING: Dermot Weld is giving serious consideration to running In Time's Eye in the Epsom Derby.

In Time's Eye ran the Derby favourite, High Chaparral, to a length in Sunday's Derrinstown Trial, which resulted in Paddy Power going as low as 16 to 1 for Epsom.

It was a second runner-up placing for the colt in just his second start, and the last maiden to win at Epsom was Merry Hampton in 1887.

Nevertheless, Weld was very happy with the Moyglare Stud-owned colt's performance and gave an upbeat report on his condition yesterday.

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"We are quite happy with him and we will make a decision about Epsom in a fortnight's time, after the Irish Guineas.

"But the Derby is definitely being considered. He was getting 7lb from the winner but I thought he ran an excellent race.

"He will improve for the run but he was only beaten a length by the Derby favourite, so he won't have to improve substantially.

"He will have learned a lot and he showed he likes that good ground," the Curragh trainer said.

Weld also had news of the filly Rum Charger, who finished down the field in Sunday's French 1,000 Guineas.

"She was struck into on both hind legs and she was pretty sore afterwards. She even had to be bandaged on the plane coming back. But she is okay now and in time we will think of her next race," he said.

Today's Killarney meeting went the same way as Monday's, after an inspection yesterday found the track was waterlogged. Persistent rain, which started on Sunday afternoon, washed out the last two days of the May festival.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

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