Ebasani has Ballysax appeal
Formerly held at Leopardstown, the mile-and-a-quarter Group Three is one of the key early season trials for the Derby, with previous winners Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) going on to claim Epsom glory.
Ebasani looked the part when making a winning racecourse debut at the track in early October and Oxx expects the rise in distance to bring out the best in his colt.
He said: “It’s a big step up going from a maiden win to a race like this.
“This is normally a good race, but our horse won his maiden well and has pleased us all the way through.
“He’s a fair bit of work under his belt and should handle the soft ground, so we hope he’ll run reasonably well.
“He’s by Manduro, who ended up being a champion miler, but he had good form over further as well. This horse has plenty of stamina on his dam’s side, so he should stay well.”
Aidan O’Brien and Jim Bolger have both trained a record seven Ballysax Stakes winners and are well represented this time.
Joseph O’Brien partners Galway maiden winner Carlo Bugatti for his father, with the master of Ballydoyle also saddling Kingfisher, the mount of Seamie Heffernan.
Bolger has trained three of the last four winners and this year runs the Sheikh Mohammed-owned Answered, who made a winning debut at the Curragh three weeks ago, and Stirabout.
All Set To Go, Davids Park and Fascinating Rock complete the field.
