AIDAN O’BRIEN, for the third time in his career, saddled the first three in yesterday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

CAPE BLANCO gets the vote to land the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh tomorrow.

THE absence of St Nicholas Abbey takes some of the intrigue from today’s Investec Epsom Derby but, for all that the Ballydoyle team will miss the horse they believed ‘could walk on water’, the stable dominated the major trials and appears to hold all the aces today.

AIDAN O’BRIEN is a firm favourite to land his third Investec Derby at Epsom tomorrow.

JAN VERMEER has been the subject of an almighty gamble for Saturday’s Investec Derby.

Aidan O’Brien has warned ante-post punters to hold their bets before the Investec Derby at Epsom next week.

AIDAN O’BRIEN is excited by his Investec Derby squad as he prepares to challenge for a first win in the race since High Chaparral in 2002.

TWO weeks to the Epsom Derby and the mystery continues.

Midas Touch staked his claim for Classic honours when giving Aidan O’Brien his eighth success in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

WHEN Kilmurry-Ibrickane chairman Gerald Talty began preparing the club’s blueprint for the 2008 season, he felt there was a need to head in a new direction.

Aidan O'Brien's Jan Vermeer made every yard of the running to provide Ballydoyle with yet another juvenile Group One victory in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud today.

THE promising Midas Touch should be hard to beat in the TRI Equestrian Maiden at the Curragh this afternoon.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan believes the Lions’ big-game stars will rise to the challenge against New Zealand tomorrow.

WITH back-to-back titles over the last two years and another from four years ago, it already appears to be a golden era for Blackrock centre forward Liam Meaney.

BEFORE this All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park yesterday, much was made of Kerry pride.