Connections of High-Rise are undeterred by the recent heavy rain - three inches in the last eight days - at the Curragh and yesterday reported the Vodafone Derby winner on course for the Budweiser Irish Derby on Sunday week. A spokesperson for trainer Luca Cumani said: "High-Rise is in great form after his Derby win and, although nothing definite will be fixed until he does a piece of work, the plan is to run in the Irish Derby.

"Soft ground would not change that plan although we might have to weigh things up if it became horrendously soft. However, High-Rise is not a horse who needs top of the ground conditions and indeed he has won on soft.

"Olivier Peslier, who rode High-Rise at Epsom, will again have the mount."

High-Rise will be the first Irish Derby runner for Cumani since his Kahyasi completed the Derby double in 1988.

The horse will have to be supplemented for the race on June 23rd at a cost of £75,000.

Punters have been given a chance to grab some rare value at Ascot with the opening of the book on the London Clubs Trophy, the prize awarded to the jockey partnering most winners during the four-day meeting.

Although the ante-post markets have been relatively quiet in recent days as both punters and trainers employ a "wait-and-see" policy over the going, Frankie Dettori (a best-priced 7-4) and Kieren Fallon (100-30) could see plenty of support this morning. Michael Kinane is on offer at 5 to 1, with Pat Eddery a best-priced 20 to 1 with William Hill. The main disparity in the market looks to be centred around Olivier Peslier, as short as 5 to 1 with Coral but available at four times that price with William Hill.

Although Peslier will be unable to ride on the Friday as a result of the whip ban he picked up for his winning ride aboard High-Rise in the Vodafone Derby, the French champion jockey has a good book of rides for the first three days.