Fallon: Curragh ideal for Footsteps
The jockey cemented his new partnership with Aidan O'Brien at Newmarket yesterday and feels the unbeaten colt would be even more at home in the Boylesports-sponsored Classic at the Curragh on May 21 than he was on the Rowley Mile.
Fallon told Racing UK: "I know he ate up last night, which is a great sign. He is bucking and kicking this morning and it took nothing out of him.
"He is a very tough horse so was his sire Giant's Causeway and it's obviously rubbing off on this fellow.
"The track in the Irish Guineas would suit him better than Newmarket. It is an uphill finish and he gets the trip well. I am looking forward to it."
Meanwhile one-time Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats makes his long-awaited reappearance in today's High Chaparral European Breeders Fund Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh.
The unbeaten son of Sadler's Wells was ruled out of last year's Epsom Classic a few days before the race with a muscle problem and has not raced since winning the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial almost 12 months ago.
"Everything at home has gone well with him and there are no signs of last year's trouble," trainer Aidan O'Brien said.
"The main thing is to see how he is on the track but he won his three races easily earlier in his career and has been cantering for a long time."
Dual Oaks winner Ouija Board is "very unlikely" to be seen out in the Vodafone Coronation Cup at Epsom next month.
Newmarket trainer Ed Dunlop revealed yesterday that a growth on a left-fore has put the four-year-old's work programme back by a few weeks.
"She had a bit of a problem after the press day at the Craven meeting when developing a small boney growth on her left-fore," Dunlop told Channel 4.
"She has never had a lame step but it has just held us up and we won't be out quite so early.
"She starts back cantering tomorrow and the vets are happy, so it's fingers crossed that everything will be back on track shortly."
Ouija Board is one of 33 entered in the Coronation Cup on June 3 but Dunlop said: "That is very unlikely and it is more likely that we will go to Ireland for the Pretty Polly Stakes and there are many other options.
"She is in a race at Royal Ascot and there is the Eclipse but as I have said, I am lucky still to have her, and if she is alive and well all steps lead to America (for the Breeders' Cup)."
As well as her exploits in the Oaks, the daughter of Cape Cross also finished third in the Prix de l'Arc De Triomphe and rounded off her campaign with victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in Texas.
Vodafone Derby hope Ehsan may be seen next in the rescheduled Glanbia Classic Trial at Gowran Park in two weeks' time.
Officials at the County Kilkenny track were forced to cancel yesterday's fixture due to waterlogging but it is hoped that the conditions event, one of Gowran's best Flat races, can be staged at the meeting on May 15.
A spokesman for the course said: "The proposal is to reschedule the race for two weeks' time but we won't know if this can be confirmed until at least tomorrow."
Oxx has had a runner in the mile-and-a-half contest every year since 1994 and his once-raced son of Derby hero Sinndar made a big impression when winning by seven lengths on his debut at the Curragh last month.
Ehsan holds an engagement in the Dee Stakes at Chester this week but his wife Caitriona said: "He would have run today but we believe the race is to be held in two weeks' time and we will be looking at that.
"We won't be thinking about the Derby until he runs again and we can see how good he is."
