Aidan O'Brien confirmed on Monday that he could saddle as many as four runners in next month's Betfred Derby, though he stopped short of committing impressive Chester winner Constitution River for Epsom. Ballydoyle have dominated the spring Derby trials, with Benvenuto Cellini impressing in the Boodles Chester Vase and Constitution River routing his field in the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes.
Derby Market Movers
Benvenuto Cellini strengthened his position at the head of the Derby market after a decisive four-and-a-quarter-length victory. Constitution River was backed into second favouritism following a seven-length thrashing of Generic. However, the latter, a 4/1 chance with sponsors, is also being seriously considered for a trip to Chantilly on May 31 for the French Derby, alongside Montreal and Hawk Mountain.
O'Brien said: 'Constitution River could possibly go to France - it's not written in stone. The two horses that went to France for their trials (Montreal and Hawk Mountain), the plan with both of them was definitely to go to France.'
Constitution River's Options
O'Brien explained: 'Constitution River went to Chester knowing that he could be an Epsom or a French horse. We were happy that it was a mile and a quarter, just in case he was going to go to France. The only thing is, if he goes to France, he's only gone left-handed so far - he didn't go right-handed yet.'
He added: 'We felt, and the way it was looking, he looked very different going through all his work. He looked very good last year and seems to have come out of the race well. Constitution River is one of those mile and a quarter horses that could get a mile and a half, but you couldn't be sure. If you were riding him over a mile and a half, you'd be riding him a bit patiently. But he's a lot of speed and a lot of class.'
Other Epsom Contenders
O'Brien also mentioned Benvenuto Cellini and Pierre Bonnard as Epsom contenders. Pierre Bonnard ran at Leopardstown on Sunday, and O'Brien said: 'Pierre Bonnard was a massive, big horse and we purposely let him get as big as we could over the winter and as strong as we could because we didn't want him to turn into a shell early. We felt we had to run him (in the Ballysax Stakes). The race went a bit wrong and he was needing to run. Because he was where he was, we couldn't go, say, and attack into him and have him really ready for Sunday because then we wouldn't carry on to the Derby. We stripped him back a bit more for Leopardstown. The pace was probably too slow for him, but he still ran very well. I would think and we think that he would step up big time next time going a mile and a half.'
Dante Stakes Possibilities
O'Brien looks likely to be multiply represented in Thursday's Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York, with Christmas Day and Action aiming to add their names to Ballydoyle's Epsom contenders list. 'Christmas Day was always a very legitimate horse and he has gone under the radar a little,' added O'Brien. 'We were going to France with him last year to the Group One that Pierre Bonnard won and he got a temperature and he had to stop. He beat the horse that was second yesterday (Pierre Bonnard) in the Ballysax Stakes so, it's going to be interesting. And I'd say he's probably stepped up from the Ballysax. The York horses are obviously all still in the Epsom picture, depending on what happens.'
Musidora Stakes Entry
O'Brien will be represented by Moments Of Joy in tomorrow's Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, where she will tackle five rivals, including last year's Fillies' Mile fourth Legacy Link and Felicitas, an impressive three-length winner of a Sandown novice event on her comeback.
