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

Australia is one of 17 horses in contention for Saturday’s Investec Derby following the confirmation stage.

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

Leopardstown report

Classic hope Free Eagle is likely to start next season off in the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

Battle Of Marengo made it five wins in a row but was only workmanlike in claiming victory in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

Little is given away by the Coolmore camp but the hints were there that Magician could well be the superior of their two Chester Derby trial winners this week.

Jockey Joseph O’Brien is hoping the rain stays away from Leopardstown to allow Battle Of Marengo to show his full potential in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial tomorrow.

Aidan O’Brien predictably dominated proceedings on the final day of Chester’s May meeting to continue his fantastic start to the month.

Akeed Mofeed will not be aimed at the Investec Derby at Epsom next month after meeting with another setback.

John Oxx is hopeful of a good run from Call To Battle in today’s MBNA Chester Vase after finishing a fine second in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown last month.

Joseph O’Brien is hoping St Nicholas Abbey will handle the expected soft ground when he returns to action at the Curragh on Monday.

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.

WELL, at least that report released by the Strategic Marketing Group on Tuesday provides plenty of food for thought.

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.

A warm Friday and a positive weather forecast provided hope for the organisers of Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby that Sea The Stars will be among the line-up.

JOHN Oxx has admitted it would be “borderline” whether Sea The Stars would line up in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby if the race was run today.

Johnny Murtagh will ride Rip Van Winkle like he his “the best horse in the race” when he lines up for a mouth-watering renewal of the Investec Derby at Epsom tomorrow.

AIDAN O’Brien provides six of the 12 entries for Sunday’s usually-informative Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

MOURAYAN could bid to get back on the winning trail in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown next month following his defeat at the track on Sunday.

John Gosden is hoping the decision to bypass the Vodafone Derby with Bronze Cannon can pay off at Royal Ascot on Friday.

Kevin Prendergast believes that Moiqen can end the domination of Aidan O’Brien in Sunday’s Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial.

Natagora and Infallible both did their bit to liven up the ante-post 1000 Guineas market in the week before John Dunlop’s Muthabara followed suit at Newbury on Saturday.

Moiqen earned a 40-1 quote with Cashmans for the Vodafone Derby when providing trainer Kevin Prendergast with a second successive victory in the P.W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.

AIDAN O’Brien will launch a four-pronged attack on the Ladbrokes St Leger in his attempt to win the world’s oldest Classic for the fourth time in seven years.

Aidan O’Brien claims leading Vodafone Derby fancy Mount Nelson is on the “easy list”.

Eoin Griffin’s promising colt Finicius will not be seen in racecourse action at the weekend.

Aidan O’Brien is looking to Vodafone Derby hope Macarthur to improve on his seasonal bow and put up a much sharper performance in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on May 13.

Apprentice David Moran replaced the injured Kevin Manning to land a 37-1 double for trainer Jim Bolger at the Curragh.

KIEREN FALLON will bid to cement his position as the undisputed King of Epsom with success aboard Horatio Nelson in the Vodafone Derby today.

Kieren Fallon will bid to cement his position as the undisputed King of Epsom with success aboard Horatio Nelson in the Vodafone Derby tomorrow.

Kieren Fallon has acknowledged that Vodafone Derby favourite Visindar will take some pegging back in the Group One feature at Epsom next month.

King In Waiting, as low as 25-1 with William Hill for the Vodafone Derby, has been ruled out of Sunday’s Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

JOHN OXX has never disguised his admiration for Caradak, like the Oaks winner owned by the Aga Khan, and the colt stepped up in class to turn in a very taking performance in the Group Three Emirates Airline Minstrel Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien will saddle both Grand Central and Down Mexico Way in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Two of the major British Classic trials have gone the way of the Irish already this season and another promising Irish colt looks set to be on display at Sandown on Friday.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has scotched rumours that all is not well with Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats.

JAMIE SPENCER will be free to partner Epsom Derby favourite, Yeats, in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

YEATS was simply poetry in motion, even if he is called after the painter - Jack B, as he dismissed race-fit Dabiroun in the P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday.

PERPIGNAN believe Munster second row Mick O’Driscoll can help the Heineken Cup finalists in their quest to become one of Europe’s elite rugby clubs.

MICHAEL KINANE will do duty for Ballydoyle in France on Sunday, rather than partner Brian Boru in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

THE flat season is just a few weeks old, but shortly we are going to witness the first of a number of fascinating decisions which will have to be made as the campaign progresses.

EPSOM Derby favourite Brian Boru produced what could only be described as a satisfactory work-out after racing at Leopardstown yesterday.