Hot favourite Australia will have to defy stall 12 in a field of 16 for Saturday’s Investec Derby, the biggest assembled since 2008.

John Oxx accepts Investec Derby favourite Australia is “tailor-made” to handle the demands of Epsom on June 7.

It was particularly interesting to note just how much goodwill there was towards John Oxx after his My Titania had won a Group 3 at the Curragh last Sunday.

Donie Hassett’s Shantalla gets the nap in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase at Ballinrobe this evening.

Sir Des Champs can finally prove he is a realistic Cheltenham Gold Cup horse by landing the Hennessy at Leopardstown this afternoon.

I have just five rides over the next two days, but this could still be a great weekend. What it really comes down to is whether I can win the Betfair Chase at Haydock today aboard Silviniaco Conti.

Anyone else blown away by the performance of Jim Bolger’s Trading Leather at Gowran Park last Sunday?

Mystery surrounds the termination yesterday of Johnny Murtagh’s contract as retained jockey for the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses.

GOING descriptions in Ireland have long been a major bone of contention, but the topic reached a new low at Limerick last night.

AFTER the dust settled on the spate of Epsom Derby trials over the last few weeks, the picture for Britain’s premier Classic once again looks like it’s come down to the annual battle between the Derrinstown and the Dante.

YOU’D wonder if Aidan O’Brien stared wistfully at the winner’s enclosure after the first race at Leopardstown last Sunday, a maiden for three-year-old fillies?

DUNBOYNE Express booked his ticket to the Irish 2,000 Guineas when landing yesterday’s Group 3 Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial.

Mesariya gave Johnny Murtagh a winning start back as number one jockey to the Aga Khan and John Oxx when making a successful debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown.

JOHN OXX is looking forward to renewing his association with Johnny Murtagh after the jockey was retained to ride all of the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses in 2011.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe favourite Behkabad is reported to be in rude health following his narrow victory in the Prix Niel at Longchamp on Sunday.

Rosanara will miss tomorrow’s Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh after suffering a knock during her trip to Ireland.

TITLE-CHASING Fran Berry and Pat Smullen dominated last night’s action at Leopardstown, Berry taking the honours with a fine treble on Smart Striking, Napa Starr and Simkane while former champion Smullen had to settle for a brace, on Be My Storm and Aladdin’s Cave.

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.

THE presence of Akdarena in today’s Investec Oaks at Epsom is likely to ensure there’s no hiding place for those runners with questions marks over their stamina.

After confirming his place among the racing legends with a stunning victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, just one question remains for fans of Sea The Stars – will he have one more dance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic?

SEA THE STARS joined the equine greats by becoming the first in history to complete the Guineas-Derby-Arc treble with a stunning victory in the Qatar Prix de’l Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp yesterday.

Alain de Royer-Dupre is expecting big things from Rosanara in Sunday’s Total Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

John Oxx is well aware staying is likely to be the name of the game when Sea The Stars bids to secure his place in racing legend with victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp tomorrow.

Kieren Fallon will team up with Youmzain once again in next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

THE progressive John Oxx-trained Anak can win the Almotech Eclipse Maiden over a mile and six at Ballinrobe tonight.

MAGEN’S STAR gets the nap to land the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Handicap, on what looks a seriously competitive programme at Killarney tonight.

AIDAN O’BRIEN, the most amazing phenomenon to hit Irish racing, won his seventh Irish Derby at the Curragh yesterday when Fame And Glory blitzed the opposition to score by five lengths.

THERE is absolutely no disguising the fact that the defection of Sea The Stars greatly diminished yesterday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

ANOTHER weekend in Ireland where the emphasis is on quantity, and lots of it, with very little pretension towards quality.

Connections of Sweetheart are keeping their fingers crossed she makes the cut for next week's Ascot Stakes following victory in the Betdaq The Betting Exchange Handicap at Folkestone.

A horse has to be pretty special for John Oxx to run him in the Derby, and Sea The Stars certainly passes the test, judging by the public thoughts of the master.

MICK Kinane, John Oxx and Johnny Murtagh, three men with the Epsom Derby firmly on their minds, shared the honours at Fairyhouse last night.

SEASONAL debutante Adjaliya is the nap choice to land the fairyhouseracecourse.ie Handicap on a rather mundane programme at the Meath track this evening.

John Oxx remains open minded about whether Sea The Stars will have the stamina to last out the mile and a half of the Investec Derby on Saturday week.

Aidan O’Brien is responsible for 36 of the 138 horses remaining in the Derby after the first forfeit stage as the Ballydoyle trainer looks to capture the £1.25m (€1.4m) Classic for a third time at Epsom on June 6.

INDIAN SPRING, who is certainly not for the faint-hearted, is the nap choice in the Metal Man Novice Hurdle at Tramore this afternoon.

Zarkava, the unbeaten winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, has been retired.

“IT’S A huge race on the European calendar. Everybody comes together — colts, fillies, England, Ireland, France, Germany and even Japan has got in on the act now.

A colleague asked me last Friday if I thought Kieren Fallon or Johnny Murtagh was the better jockey.

Connections of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Youmzain have admitted their frustration at the colt’s narrow defeat in the Longchamp showpiece.

Michael Jarvis is one of the most respected figures in the game, yet his horses are constantly underrated in the market.

Marcus Tregoning is delighted with his Ladbrokes St Leger contender Aqaleem as he works towards what the trainer hopes will be a shot at the world’s oldest Classic.

Options are open for Youmzain after Mick Channon’s colt finished fifth behind Mountain High in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.