Rely on Golden Aster

Aidan O'Brien's Darwin is set to head a multiple Ballydoyle entry for Saturday's National Stakes but O'Brien admitted yesterday he may not even have a single runner in Saturday's Jefferson Smurfit Irish St Leger.

The Leger and the Oaks are the only Irish classics that O'Brien has yet to win but despite having three horses among the Leger entries he is unlikely to have a runner.

"Chiang-Mai (16 to 1 ante-post) is also in the Blandford Stakes and she might run in that. I'm not sure yet what the plans are for Lermontov or Rostropovich," O'Brien said before confirming Hemingway on course for the Prix de la Salamadre and Darwin for the National Stakes.

It hasn't exactly been a vintage year for Curragh trainer Charles O'Brien but Golden Aster can provide a rare bright spot for him in the first of an eight-race card at Gowran today.

O'Brien has had just the one winner all season from just 42 runners, back in May, but for Golden Aster, a daughter of Dubai Millennium's sire Seeking The Gold, a winning bracket would be a very valuable commodity indeed.

Golden Aster should be up to getting that winning mark too as she was only a short head and a length and a half off MNL Lady and Knights Place on this track last time out.

That was over a mile but she shouldn't be inconvenienced by the drop to seven furlongs and the likes of Fast And Furious and Sakina do not look good enough to really trouble her.

The Ballylinch Maiden has been divided which should just provide a couple of winning opportunities for Aidan O'Brien's two fillies, Fantasy Royale and Imagine.

The latter is a half-sister to the great Generous and her two black type starts, in the Moyglare and the Debutante, should leave her spot on for this.

Dervorghilla didn't figure in the Round Tower Stakes recently but previously won on her debut at the Curragh and despite topweight in the EBF Nursery can score for Jim Bolger while Powerswood can successfully revert to jumps after three unsuccessful forays to the flat in the last.