O’Brien still sweet on Boru
O'Brien has a host of options for Epsom and even now is juggling the balls as he decides which of his enormous team would present the strongest challenge for the race.
Hold That Tiger, a flop in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas earlier this month, is set to take his chance with O'Brien hoping to secure the services of Kieren Fallon.
Other possibles include Alberto Giacometti, Balestrini, The Great Gatsby and Catcher In The Rye, who caught the eye when finishing fast for second in the French 2000 Guineas at the weekend under Fallon.
But it is still Brian Boru whom O'Brien believes will provide him with the best chance of retaining the trophy and winning the first place prize-money of some £600,000.
Having been ante-post favourite for the race over the winter on the strength of an impressive win in last season's Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, Brian Boru's price for the Derby has gradually drifted out. And for the first time in many months, bookmakers were offering double figures and going as long as 10-1 after his third-placed effort under Seamus Heffernan in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday.
But O'Brien yesterday sprung to the defence of the colt, explaining that as far as he was concerned, Brian Boru's real race would only take place at Epsom.
"Trials are there as trials you can train for the trial but you sometimes have to sacrifice them if you are looking ahead to the big picture," he said.
"We always try to find out about the horses, use them to find out what they can and can't do.
"Brian Boru had to give 5lb to very eligible horses on Sunday in Alamshar and The Great Gatsby. The pace wasn't 100 per cent to suit him either.
"If we were running in the trial and not thinking about the Derby we'd have popped it to him, he'd have followed the pace and he'd have got into a battle a furlong out. We'd have given him a few thumps and probably have got into a real battle.
"But he jumped out, he was a bit keen and Seamus said 'You can't do that, you have to come back' and he took him back and he put him on the rail behind Johnny (Murtagh).
"He kept waiting and waiting with him and then he let them go a bit on the bend when they quickened up. He was lugging left a bit, being a bit raw and green so he gave him a backhander to straighten him up and get him to go and race.
"Going to the line, he said he felt he was being a bit lax again so he just gave him a few flicks to go and be third.
"He ate up well in the evening and he seems fine after the race.
"But the last thing that we wanted to do was give a race-fit Alamshar 5lb and get into a hard battle with him with Epsom four weeks away.
"The improvement has to come but we know what he has to go and do now."
Stable jockey, Mick Kinane, who rode Galileo to glory in 2001 and finished second on Hawk Wing 12 months later, will again get the pick of the mounts after he has visited Ballydoyle in the days leading up to the race.
But it is still far from certain exactly which of the other possible contenders for Epsom will make the final line-up.
Catcher In The Rye has the alternative of the Irish 2000 Guineas the Curragh in a fortnight's time, a race for which Tomahawk and Statue of Liberty are also being considered.
The Great Gatsby, Balestrini and Alberto Giacometti all ran sound trials over the weekend but could be kept for the French, Italian or Irish versions of the Classic.
O'Brien gives the impression that if he had his way, all of the above would be winging around Tattenham Corner on June 7.
"We are as happy as we can be," he said. "We haven't won any of the trials but we haven't panicked. We've accepted it.
"If we were going to go to Leopardstown again then the two lads would probably do little different things that didn't happen for them.
"Last Wednesday was the first time that I walked into the barn and everything looked right.
"For whatever reason the horses have just been slow to come to hand. Maybe I was too hard on them in December when they were still recovering from the virus.
"It might have taken its toll in February, March, April. But we never panicked and we didn't rush them.
"But that's why I was pleased with Alberto Giacometti's run. They are progressing with a run and they are just coming now.
"All we can do is get them right physically and mentally. We won't know what's going to happen at Epsom until they go past the winning post.
"From now on, we're just starting to niggle and in racing terms, when we do give them a slap behind the saddle, we just have to hope that it will come."
