With the chance to win the Investec Derby for a third consecutive year looming over him, Aidan O’Brien has been cautious in finalising his plans for the race on Saturday.
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
But the trainer has now finalised riding plans for all four of his entered runners in the Epsom Classic, with Joseph O’Brien on board the market favourite Australia, Seamie Heffernan partnering Orchestra, Colm O’Donoghue on Kingfisher, and Ryan Moore riding Geoffrey Chaucer. Moore is also looking for a hat trick at Epsom, though not consecutive like O’Brien’s.
Odds for the four horses at 
Paddy Power: Australia (11-8), Geoffrey Chaucer (8-1), Orchestra (16-1), and Kingfisher (50-1).
For the second time in his training career, O’Brien has the chance to become the first trainer to win the Investec Derby three times in a row, and Paddy Power are placing bets on the feat. He’s an 8-11 chance at achieving success (drifting from 8-13) while the field odds against him are even (shortening from 6-5).
Moore, who partnered Orchestra in winning the Chester Vase last month, will be teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer for the first time on Saturday.
O’Brien said: “All is well with our Derby runners and they’re ready for Saturday. Australia had a two-week break after running third in the 2,000 Guineas but we’ve been happy with him since he started back working. He’s in good form.
“When he won at Leopardstown in September the ground was a little on the slow side and he handled it well, but we’re hoping the ground at Epsom stays good.”
PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)
Although O’Brien is hoping for good ground at Epsom, the Derby could well be run in torrential rain. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning on Saturday for an area including the South-east of England.
A Met Office spokesman said: “There is a yellow alert for the region, with heavy and thundery showers expected throughout Saturday. We have some warm, humid air coming in from the continent and it’s a question of how far inland it will come.
“We should have a better idea as the week goes on. Wherever the showers do fall, they will be short, sharp and enough to cause localised flooding as the water will not be able to drain in time.”
Clerk of the course at Epsom, Andrew Cooper, is currently describing the ground as good, good to soft in places.
“We had 5mm of rain this morning before 8am and then we were dry until 2.30pm, when a sharp shower took us to 6mm for the day,” Cooper said.
“Certain places are on the slow side of good after that, so I’m calling it good, good to soft in places overnight, but we’re forecast further showers until midnight.”
Only time will tell what the ground conditions will be, and which runners it will benefit. Place your ante-post bets today at Paddy Power before the odds are shortened even more!
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