RACING: Aidan O'Brien could yet end up fielding the strongest European challenge at Saturday week's Breeders' Cup, with a total of five horses remaining as possible contenders for Lone Star Park in Texas.
The Ballydoyle trainer has decided to allow Powerscourt to run in the Turf race rather than the Classic on dirt, and also racing on the grass are likely to be Antonius Pius (Mile) and Yesterday (Filly & Mare.)
It's not as clear-cut about O'Brien's other two possibles, but he could yet have runners in both two-year-old races on dirt, with Scandinavia entered for the Juvenile and the maiden Mona Lisa among the Juvenile fillies entries.
"It's not definite by any means. They are just entered and they are a long way from certain runners," said O'Brien yesterday.
Both two-year-olds also hold entries this weekend, with Mona Lisa, fourth in the fillies mile at Ascot last time, part of the 28-strong entry for the Listed Silken Glider Stakes at the Curragh, and the Royal Lodge runner-up Scandinavia still in contention to run in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.
The O'Brien camp sent four horses to last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita and scored a win with High Chaparral (Turf) and places in the fillies and mares with L'Ancresse and Yesterday.
However, the largest teams he has sent to the US were in 2001 and 2002, when seven horses represented Ballydoyle at Belmont and Arlington respectively.
This time Powerscourt, who is returning from an injury sustained in the Irish Champion Stakes, looks like leading the challenge, and O'Brien said yesterday, "We have to get him there, but so far he is doing fine."
Dermot Weld's Breeders' Cup hopes this year will rest at Fair Hill rather than Lone Star, as the Galway Plate winner Ansar (David Casey) will fly the Irish flag in the Breeders' Cup Chase at the weekend.
However, Weld will again be the man to follow on Tuesday week when he tries for a third Melbourne Cup success at Flemington. Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle continue their preparations down under, but there is still uncertainty about jockey plans for the latter.
Damien Oliver guided Media Puzzle to success two years ago, but he is also wanted by Michael Stoute for Distinction, who missed out on last weekend's Caulfield Cup due to a poor blood count.
"No decision has been made yet and it's all to play for," said Weld yesterday. "There's no need to make a decision until next week and I'm sure we'll be able to find a jockey. There are a lot of them looking for the ride already."
Like two years ago, Pat Smullen will again be on Vinnie Roe - if the ground is not hard enough to prevent the four-time Irish Leger winner from running.
"You would always hope for some bit of ease for Vinnie Roe and I'm hoping they put enough water on," said Smullen yesterday.
Weld and O'Brien will be heavily involved in today's all-flat card at Navan, and particularly in the Joe McGrath Golf President Handicap, where both trainers have interesting runners.
Weld's Out Of Thanks was a beaten favourite on Champion Stakes day at Leopardstown, but the Sadler's Wells filly should be much more at home on softer going. Nevertheless, O'Brien can come out on top with Ursa Minor, who returned from a two-year racecourse absence to run third to Mombassa over a mile at the Curragh earlier this month.
Ursa Minor's main role in life is as a lead horse, but he was running on well enough over a mile to suggest the extra two furlongs now should be ideal.
O'Brien and Jamie Spencer can also score with Down Mexico Way, but Weld's Muntami can beat their Coconut Beach in the last.
Andrew Oliver has made a big impression in his fledgling training career to date, and his runner Ci Ci La Femme looks the one to beat in the opener.
Oliver's last eight runners have yielded a course win, with All Diamonds last week and three other placed efforts. Ci Ci La Femme improved dramatically for her debut to run third to Unique Pose at Naas three days ago, and at that rate she should make her presence felt today.
