O'Brien snaps up Fallon for Haydock

Aidan O‘Brien has booked Kieren Fallon to ride Landseer in the Group One Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The three-year-old, who won the French 2000 Guineas earlier in the season, will be bidding to give O’Brien a first win in the six furlong event.

O'Brien left five horses in at the confirmation stage including dual Classic winner Rock Of Gibraltar, Coronation Stakes winner Sophisticat, Sahara Desert and Lahinch.

But Landseer is the most likely contender and O’Brien confirmed that the champion jockey will ride the Danehill colt.

The Ballydoyle handler said: “We are looking at the Haydock Sprint for Landseer and Kieren Fallon will ride him.”

O’Brien’s entries dominate the 21 horses that were left in the £200,000 race at the confirmation stage.

The field is headed by the Darley July Cup first and second, Continent and Bahamian Pirate who are both inmates of David Nicholls’ yard.

Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Malhub from John Gosden’s yard is also entered but he is likely to need conditions on the fast side before he runs.

Gosden also has Mount Abu and May Ball, winner of the Prix Maurice de Gheest in France last time, in the field.

Jim Goldie is hopeful of a good run from runs Orientor completes the line-up and the Scottish trainer is hoping for a good run.

The four-year-old was 16th behind Kyllahcy in the Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes at York last time out but Goldie was not too disappointed with that run.

He said: “Orientor is in good form and he’s come out of the York race well.

“It was his first time over five furlongs and he’s better over six.”

Steve Drowne is waiting to see whether the Roger Charlton-trained Frenchmans Bay will take part in the six furlong race.

The jockey has ridden the four-year-old colt in all his races so far this season and was on board when he finished unplaced behind May Ball in France.