O’Donoghue gets plum ride on Cape Blanco in King George
The mount on the Aidan O’Brien’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner became available when regular partner Johnny Murtagh picked up a six-day suspension at Newmarket’s July meeting.
Like Seamie Heffernan, O’Donoghue is a regular partner of second and third strings for O’Brien in the big races, and hit the Group One target last season on the stable’s Jan Vermeer in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.
Impressive in the Dante Stakes at York when beating subsequent runaway Epsom Derby hero Workforce, Cape Blanco disappointed in the French Derby before bouncing back at the Curragh.
The pair face a rematch at the weekend, with Workforce the evens favourite and Cape Blanco available at 13-2 in a place.
Meanwhile Olivier Peslier is in confident mood ahead of his ride aboard Harbinger. The French pilot received the call up after champion jockey Ryan Moore decided to stay loyal to record-breaking Derby winner Workforce.
Peslier has a good record at the venue with big race wins on Goldikova, Vision D’Etat, Equiano and Ouija Board in recent years.
“I think he is the best horse this year and he is doing very well. I rode him on Saturday morning and he is very well. He gave me a good feel. I think he can go either way in the race, he’s an easy horse to ride.
“I think he’s my best ever chance of winning the race.”
