Murtagh: Island still in the mix

Following the success of Fame And Glory at Leopardstown on Sunday, Johnny Murtagh is keen to see how Black Bear Island gets on in his next race.

The subject of plenty of positive reports through the winter, Black Bear Island could only finish third on his seasonal reappearance in France.

However, Murtagh has not lost the faith and rates him highly among another strong crop of Classic colts for Ballydoyle.

"We've got a lot of nice three-year-olds and they are all just finding their way now and we are trying to get them into a pecking order," said Murtagh.

"Fame And Glory is obviously high up the pecking order because he was a Group One winner at two and only the special horses can do that.

"Fame And Glory has won a Group One whereas Black Bear Island has only won a maiden but we have a nice bunch of three-year-olds and he is one I like a lot.

"He ran in France and didn't probably get the run of the race but he'll come on for the run and he's one to keep an eye on next time.

"The horses are working nicely now, they are stepping up a gear and Aidan (O'Brien) is getting them up to their marks now and there are a lot of trials still left, we'll have plenty of runners in all of them.

"I'm usually not a great judge of picking them on Derby day but there is a lot that can happen between now and the Epsom Derby."

Black Bear Island is 14-1 for the Epsom Classic with totesport.