Drayton set for Emperor rematch

Tommy Stack’s Drayton is set to lock horns with Holy Roman Emperor once more in Sunday’s Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

The pair clashed in the Railway Stakes at the same track in July, with Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile proving three quarters of a length too strong.

That was the first defeat of the son of Danetime’s career, although he was disqualified after finishing first past the post on his debut, and Stack’s son and assistant Fozzy is keen to get back to winning ways.

“I think he will probably run at the weekend,” he said.

“He hasn’t got much to find with Aidan’s, just three quarters of a length, so I hope we can find it from somewhere."

Drayton has also been the subject of sustained support with the bookmakers for Sunday’s contest and Cashmans have reported two four-figure each-way bets on the two-year-old.

The Cork-based layers make the supplemented Holy Roman Emperor 5-4 favourite, with Drayton quoted at 3-1 ‘with a run’.

A high-quality card could also see the racecourse debut of O’Brien’s Nell Gwyn in the Loder European Breeders Fund Fillies Race.

The daughter of Danehill is out of the mare Offshore Boom and is therefore a full sister to the brilliant Rock Of Gibraltar.