Jan Vermeer makes Curragh bow

Aidan O’Brien is looking to see Jan Vermeer push his Investec Derby claims in the Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

An impressive winner of the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in November, the Montjeu colt will be making his seasonal reappearance.

While O’Brien does not expect him to be cherry-ripe for the 10-furlong Group Three event, he is ready to start his Classic season off.

“Jan Vermeer goes for the Gallinule. Obviously when we said we were going to start Steinbeck in the Guineas we wanted to split them up, so he’ll start there and we’ll see how he is,” said O’Brien.

“He just needs a run, it will be a nice step back for him.

“He is still in the Derby picture but obviously we need to see him first and see how forward he is.

“We feel he’s just ready to start but obviously he’ll come on a lot, sometimes a run can bring them on a lot,” he told At The Races.