Monarch still an entry in French Derby

RACING: THE POSSIBILITY of Aidan O'Brien scoring a rare Classic hat-trick this weekend remains open with Sunday's French Derby at Chantilly an option for the exciting Ballydoyle colt Imperial Monarch.

Winner of Sandown’s Classic Trial in April, Imperial Monarch is among a five-strong O’Brien list of possibles for Saturday’s Epsom Derby but he also continues to hold an entry in Sunday’s €1.5 million Prix Du Jockey Club.

The Dee Stakes winner Astrology is also doubly entered at Epsom and Chantilly, while Vault and Triumphant are the other Ballydoyle possibles for France.

A total of 30 horses remained in the Jockey Club yesterday, including the Newmarket Guineas runner-up French Fifteen, the Dante runner-up Ektihaam, and the Aga Khan’s Prix Greffulhe winner Kesampour.

The French Derby is a rare Classic blank for Ireland’s champion trainer who has picked up both Guineas races in France, and the Leger, over the years.

The back-to-back wins of Assert and Caerleon in 1982-83 remain the only Irish-trained successes in France’s premier Classic.

O’Brien is on the verge of saddling a landmark 200th Group One success in his career and is long odds-on to win Saturday’s Epsom Derby with Camelot, while both Maybe and Kissed give him a strong hand in Friday’s Oaks.

One horse definitely appearing over the 10 and a half furlongs of the Jockey Club is the one-time 2,000 Guineas fancy Most Improved.

Brian Meehan’s colt was ruled out of Newmarket due to a setback but is on course for a first start of the season at Chantilly where he will team up with Kieren Fallon.

Meehan originally declared Mikel Barzalona would ride Most Improved but later confirmed Fallon.

A statement from the trainer added: “Most Improved will run in Sunday’s Prix du Jockey Club over 10 and a half furlongs at Chantilly. His preparation for the 2,000 Guineas was interrupted so he could not make the Classic but he is now back in very good form and working well.

“The French Derby was always on the agenda as a possible post-Guineas target, and it makes even more sense as he is French-bred and eligible for owners’ premiums.”

French Fifteen gave Camelot most to do in the Guineas at Newmarket and his trainer Nicolas Clement has confirmed the Group One winner will step up from a mile. Kesampour was a narrow winner of the Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud last time, a race that in 2011 threw up the subsequent Epsom hero Pour Moi.

Camelot continued to be backed for Saturday’s Epsom Classic yesterday amid forecasts he could start the hottest Derby favourite since Tudor Minstrel was beaten in 1947.

One man hoping to upset the favourite, though, is Newmarket-based Irish trainer David Lanigan with his unbeaten Lingfield Trial winner Main Sequence.

“Everything’s fine. He’s come out of his race well and he’s had a quiet couple of days,” Lanigan said yesterday. “He had his last proper piece of work on Saturday over six and a half furlongs. He’ll have a blow out on Wednesday and that will be it.”

Lanigan added: “He doesn’t do a whole lot at home. He’ll join his lead horse, put in his head in front and that’s it. He’s never been the most flamboyant worker. He’s pretty straightforward.”