NEW APPROACH may be odds on to complete a Derby double at the Curragh on Sunday but that isn't preventing champion trainer Aidan O'Brien from taking him on in force as he chases a sixth success in a dozen years in Ireland's premier classic.
A total of five horses are likely to represent Ballydoyle in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and although riding plans haven't been finalised it appears that John Murtagh could end up on board Alessandro Volta who finished sixth at Epsom.
He may be joined by Washington Irving who ran best of the O'Brien squad at Epsom in fifth, Frozen Fire who was 11th and Bashkirov who beat only one home.
The Listed winner Hindu Kush is the other Ballydoyle contender.
"We're very happy with them and the horses that ran at Epsom have all come on quite a bit," O'Brien said yesterday.
Soldier Of Fortune was fifth at Epsom last season before comprehensively turning the form around with Eagle Mountain at the Curragh and the current Irish Derby title holder will have his own Group One target on Sunday.
The Galileo colt is one of 12 entries in the €400,000 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud where his pace-setting stable companion Song Of Hiawatha also figures.
Possible opposition to the Coronation Cup winner includes the local runners Doctor Dino and Getaway as well as last year's St Leger winner Lucarno.
As well as a strong Derby team, O'Brien also revealed yesterday that he will run both the Cheshire Oaks winner Sail as well as the Group Three-winner Ice Queen in Saturday's Pretty Polly Stakes.
The course winner Mastercraftsman will take on the Royal Ascot runner-up Intense Focus in the Railway Stakes on Sunday and could be joined by the maiden Westphalia. Both One Great Cat and Plan are intended starters in the Celebration Stakes.
Septimus is a likely Ballydoyle starter in the Curragh Cup where both Peppertree Lane and Tungsten Strike are intended travellers from across-channel.
John Murtagh will be in action this evening at Fairyhouse where he teams up with the O'Brien hope King Of The Nile in the seven-furlong maiden. Third to Oasis Davis at Limerick last week, the Ballydoyle horse should be a major player in a poor race that can ultimately fall to John Oxx's four year old Dawn Valentino.
The in-form Murtagh should have better luck in the following conditions race with the 107-rated Mojito Royale.
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