Racing: A last minute call will be made this morning about allowing Holy Roman Emperor attempt a Group One double at Deauville on Sunday. More rain in Normandy in the last 48 hours looks to have left the ground at Deauville on the soft side ahead of the featured Prix Morny on Sunday afternoon.
That is causing some concern at the Aidan O'Brien stable who still hope to give Holy Roman Emperor the chance to add to last weekend's impressive success in the Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. Three previous O'Brien trained horses have completed the Phoenix-Morny double - Orpen (1998), Fasliyev (1999) and Johannesburg (2001) - but the weather could yet spoil a similar attempt by Holy Roman Emperor who is already as low as 6 to 1 favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas.
"We will leave a decision until the morning. He is not a certain runner. They have had quite a lot of rain today in that part of France which is not ideal. The ground looks to be getting softer," said a spokesman for O'Brien last night.
Holy Roman Emperor is one of 10 possible starters remaining in the Morny. They include the Norfolk Stakes winner Dutch Art and the top French juvenile Sandwaki who is trained by Carlos Laffron-Parias.
The final declarations will be made this morning.
A decision on whether the Irish Derby winner, Dylan Thomas, will run in Tuesday's Juddmonte International at York is not likely to be made until at least the weekend. A series of workouts by O'Brien's possible starters at the Ebor festival will take place today and tomorrow.
The French Guineas winner Aussie Rules remains on standby for the Juddmonte if Dylan Thomas is kept in reserve for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next month.
