Leopardstown Preview: Yeats has his final warm up ahead of Epsom at Leopardstown tomorrow and after One Cool Cat's Guineas flop there is probably even more expectation surrounding the appearance of the Derby favourite, writes Brian O'Connor, Racing Correspondent
The Aidan O'Brien team watched with disbelief at Newmarket as One Cool Cat trailed home but they will be left stunned if Yeats, the 5 to 2 Derby favourite with Ladbrokes, cannot beat four opponents in the Group Two Derrinstown Derby Trial.
In the circumstances it was no surprise to hear O'Brien maintain a "hope he runs a good race" stance yesterday but anything except a comprehensive victory will upset the Derby betting hugely and leave the Ballydoyle classic season close to tatters.
A Derrinstown roll of honour over the last four years that consists of Alamshar, High Chaparral, Galileo and Sinndar leaves Yeats with a lot to live up to but even his opposition think he might be up to such company.
Dermot Weld runs both Medicinal and Relaxed Gesture whose last run was in the Breeder's Cup but he said yesterday: "I hope they run a good race but I think Yeats is a very high-class horse. If the ground is yielding I think it may favour Medicinal more than Relaxed Gesture."
The John Oxx-trained Barati has been supplemented for €13,000 but Oxx admits he does not expect to beat Yeats while Lord Admiral was 24 lengths behind the favourite in the Ballysax.
"The plan has always been the Galileo route of one run at two, the Ballysax and the Derrinstown is the next jump. He is an uncomplicated horse and he should be okay on the ground being by Sadler's Wells," O'Brien added yesterday.
The Group Three 1,000 Guineas Trial is a much more open affair with Ballydoyle represented by King Of Kings' sister Lucky who won the Athasi but the Weld and Oxx camps will fancy their chances of upsetting her.
Oxx has the impressive Tipperary winner Rihla while Weld runs Misty Heights who should improve significantly for her third to Royal Tigress here.
Throw in Alexander Goldrun and this is a real Irish 1,000 Guineas tester for Lucky but the O'Brien runner does give the impression of a filly on the improve.
The other black-type event is the Listed Amethyst Stakes where Meath will try to go one better than his second to Grey Swallow in last month's Guineas Trial.
D'Anjou and Livadiya top the ratings on 110 but although the Kevin Prendergast stable has been slow to kick into winning form a winner at the Curragh last Monday could signal a change and Eklim might confirm that.
The former McDonogh winner was running on very strongly behind Tolpuddle on his last start and could complete a good day for the veteran trainer.
Prendergast's Akarem ran third to Book Of Kings and Cairdeas on his debut at the Curragh and should come on significantly for that against the O'Brien newcomer Napoleon.
Legend Has It looked to find the ground too quick at the Curragh on Monday and should be more at home in the conditions of the mile and a half handicap.
