O’Brien waits on Emporer run

Aidan O’Brien will wait until later in the week before committing ante-post 2000 Guineas favourite Holy Roman Emperor to the Darley Prix Morny at the weekend.

The master of Ballydoyle nominated the Deauville contest as a likely target for a quick return immediately after yesterday’s brilliant performance in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

“He’s absolutely fine and we will make a decision on Wednesday or Thursday to decide if he runs in France this weekend,” O’Brien said this evening.

Should the Danehill colt take his chance he is likely to cross swords with the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Dutch Art, winner of both his starts to date.

The son of Medicean beat Hoh Mike to land the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and despite the likely presence of fellow Ascot scorer Elhamri as well as the Ballydoyle colt, Chapple-Hyam is brimming with confidence ahead of the Group One race.

“Dutch Art goes for the Prix Morny on Sunday, definitely – unless the ground goes really soft which he wouldn’t want,” he said.

“He is really impressing me at home now and he did a superb piece of work last Friday.

“It could be a very hot race but it is a Group One so you would expect it to be. We have to take these horses on at some stage though so we’ll find out (if he’s good enough) on Sunday.”

Chapple-Hyam also had news of his Richmond Stakes scorer Hamoody, who the trainer admits is still a bit of a livewire.

“Hamoody is a horse who just needs to relax a little better, he can get himself a bit tense,” he told At The Races.

“At the moment we are waiting for either the Middle Park (Newmarket, September 29) or the Dewhurst (Newmarket, October 14).

“I don’t gallop him with another horse, he just goes round the gallop on his own to try and keep him calm.

“When he does learn to settle mentally we will see the real horse.”