O'Brien sorting out Derby options

Saratoga Springs will return to the track in next Wednesday's Dante Stakes at York leaving Risk Material to fly the Ballydoyle…

Saratoga Springs will return to the track in next Wednesday's Dante Stakes at York leaving Risk Material to fly the Ballydoyle flag in Sunday's Group Three Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

Aidan O'Brien confirmed the plan yesterday as he bids to sort out his Derby options in the month between now and Epsom.

"Risk Material will be our one at Leopardstown. He's going nicely and has come on a lot for his first run (runner up to Aislo in the Ballysax Stakes.) The ground didn't suit him that day because the better the going, the better he is," O'Brien said.

He added: "Saratoga Springs is on target for the Dante where Michael Kinane will ride. He's going well at the moment. We could have a couple of other runners at York. Family Crest is in the sprint (the Group Three Duke of York Stakes) and the two-year-old Blue Lotus has been entered for a race as well."

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One horse that will take on Risk Material in the Derrinstown is Dermot Weld's Hibernian Rhapsody. Winner of his only race at Galway last September, Hibernian Rhapsody is a half brother, by Darshaan, to Dance Design and is highly rated at Rosewell House.

Weld will be represented by Idle Rich in the Derrinstown 1,000 Guineas Trial on Sunday which currently has 21 entries.

Another highly-rated three-year-old that will reappear at Leopardstown on Sunday is Impressionist, third to Xaar in the Dewhurst, who is set to run in the Doyles Amethyst Stakes over a mile.

"Christy (Roche) will ride him and Risk Material. Impressionist is going well but obviously all our horses have benefited from their first run of the season," O'Brien said.

It will be decided this morning if Kincara Palace will fly the Ballydoyle classic flag in the French 1,000 Guineas at Longchamp on Sunday and no riding arrangements will be confirmed until that decision is taken.

It's the Epsom Derby and O'Brien's wealth of three-year-old talent that is exercising most minds, however, with no indication yet of whether King Of Kings or Second Empire will be in running to represent the stable on the first Saturday in June.

"The situation is still the same. An awful lot of factors have to be considered before we make our minds up about Epsom. Second Empire's muscle injury is coming along but it's day by day with him at the moment and it's too early to say if he will make the Derby. He has made good progress since his injury so we are still hoping," O'Brien added.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

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