Aidan O’Brien maiden winner Giovanni Canaletto out to earn Derby ticket

Tombelaine set to run for Weld-Smullen team in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas

Aidan O’Brien has won eight of the last nine Gallinule renewals. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Aidan O’Brien has won eight of the last nine Gallinule renewals. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Giovanni Canaletto is on course to try to earn an Epsom Derby ticket in Sunday’s Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s maiden winner has yet to run this season but remains a general 12-1 shot in ante-post Derby betting and his trainer has indicated the son of Galileo, who missed the Chester Vase due to a slight setback, will line up in the 10-furlong event.

O’Brien has won eight of the last nine Gallinule renewals, including with subsequent Group 1 winners Leading Light and Adelaide in the last two years. The Gallinule was won by the subsequent dual-Derby hero, Assert, in 1982.

Tombelaine looks like running for the Dermot Weld-Pat Smullen team in Saturday's 2,000 Guineas and they get their eye in at Dundalk this evening.

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Morselle was a 33-1 stable second-string on her Gowran debut a month ago but shaped well and as if a drop back to seven furlongs should help her in this fillies maiden.

Don Camillo runs off a mark of 94 in the concluding handicap after winning his maiden at Dundalk in March and the son of Ghostzapper can go in again on the artificial surface.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

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