A final decision won't be taken until this morning but it looks like Rule Of Law will get the chance to make it third-time lucky against North Light in Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby.
The Godolphin owned colt, runner-up to North Light in both the Dante Stakes and the Epsom Derby, will have to be supplemented into the race at a cost of 95,000 today if he is to take his place in the Derby field.
Initial reports had suggested he would be kept in reserve for races such as the Gordon Stakes and the Great Voltigeur following the respiratory infection which stopped him running at Royal Ascot.
Those rumours now appear unfounded, however, as bullish noises have emerged from the Godolphin team who are on a high after their six winners at Royal Ascot last week.
"We will make a decision tomorrow abut whether or not to supplement Rule Of Law but it is entirely possible he will turn up at the Curragh," said spokesman Simon Crisford yesterday.
"Rule Of Law now appears to have recovered extremely quickly from the low-grade respiratory infection that stopped him from running in the King Edward VII last week.
"He trained well this morning, he seems in good health and good heart and we will make a decision after he trains again in the morning. But over the course of the weekend he does seem to have improved significantly. He appears back to normal."
Frankie Dettori is set to ride Rule Of Law 10 years after his sole Irish Derby success to date on Balanchine. The colt will, however, have to cope yet again with the odds-on favourite North Light.
"The Epsom form is rock solid and since North Light has beaten us twice already we face a tall order. Having said that we do feel the horse deserves to take his chance," Crisford added.
Other Derby news yesterday concerned the Jeremy Noseda-trained Econium who was described as "unlikely" to run in the big race by a stable spokesperson.
It looks less than likely that Godolphin will run the filly Echoes In Eternity in Saturday's Group One Audi Pretty Polly Stakes, even though she was one of just 14 left in the new top-flight race at yesterday's forfeit stage.
"The forecast rain wouldn't suit her. She needs fast ground but we will leave her in and see the situation nearer the weekend," said Crisford.
Jim Bolger has left three fillies in the race including Alexander Goldrun who is likely to take her chance after finishing fourth in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly. She ran second to Attraction in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her last visit to the Curragh.
Aidan O'Brien has left three fillies in the Pretty Polly including the Lingfield winner Baraka while Dermot Weld will give a first European start to the star Australian five-year-old Sunday Joy. Winner of the AJC Oaks at Randwick, Sunday Joy was formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse.
Weld has left in both Vinnie Roe and Maharib in the Sharp Minds Betfair Curragh Cup which retained 13 entries at the forfeit stage.
Aidan O'Brien is strongly represented in the entries and they include the King Edward VII winner Five Dynasties who figures highly in the ante-post betting for Sunday's Derby. Also figuring are Mikado, Cobra and the Queens Vase runner-up Two Miles West.
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