Bellamy tackles Gold Cup
O’Brien’s four-year-old full-brother to Derby winner Galileo will be tackling two and a half miles for the first time in the Ladies’ Day feature.
“The plan is to run Black Sam Bellamy in the Gold Cup if the ground is safe,” said O’Brien .
The colt is also in the Hardwicke Stakes over 12 furlongs at the Royal meeting on Saturday.
There were no withdrawals from the race at yesterday’s final declaration stage with 13 stayers standing their ground.
Godolphin are represented by Yorkshire Cup winner Mamool, who has been prominent in the betting for the stayers’ crown since his victory on the Knavesmire, Fight Your Corner and Pugin as they bid to win the contest for a fourth time following the victories of Classic Cliche (1996) and Kayf Tara (1998 and 2000).
Persian Punch will be running in the Gold Cup for a seventh time, having come closest to success when beaten a head by Royal Rebel two years ago.
Kieren Fallon has been booked to ride leading fancy Mr Dinos, who made an impressive return to action at Sandown last month. This year’s Vodafone Derby form may come under scrutiny in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
Epsom also rans Balestrini (fifth), Magistretti (ninth) and Alberto Giacometti (12th), are entered in Sunday’s Group One contest.
Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Balestrini and Alberto Giacometti, kept in five at the first acceptance stage yesterday.
His remaining trio are Spartacus and the Royal Ascot-bound pair, Hold That Tiger and France.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Longchamp entry, Kalaman, is also declared for the St James’s Palace Stakes. The stable’s second possible runner is Illustrator.
The remaining British entries are Lateen Sails (Godolphin) and the John Gosden pair, Al Jadeed and Ikhtyar.
Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien has nominated Antonius Pius as his representative in the Group Two Anheuser Busch Railway Stakes at the Curragh on Budweiser Irish Derby Day on Sunday week.
The son of Danzig and 1998 Yorkshire Oaks winner Catchascatchcan was sent off at odds-on to score in impressive style on his debut in a three-runner seven-furlong maiden event at Gowran Park last month.
He has pleased connections since that easy victory and O’Brien has no worries about his colt dropping in trip to six furlongs.
