Hall to be put forward

Aidan O'Brien is aiming at another possible Guineas double in France at the weekend but before that the trainer has confirmed that Albert Hall will try and gain an Epsom Derby place in Thursday's Dante Stakes at York.

On the classic front, Silk And Scarlet is set to have another crack at Divine Proportions in Sunday's French 1,000 Guineas at Longchamp while Cougar Cat and Dark Cheetah will also return to Paris for the 2,000 Guineas.

All three were beaten in trial races at the Paris track last month but those contests were blighted by slow early gallops.

"Tiger Dance and Ad Valorem are in the 2,000 Guineas as well but it might come a bit soon for both of them," said O'Brien.

The Ballydoyle trainer also said the Oaks favourite, Kitty O'Shea, is now unlikely to make Epsom due to a hold up.

But the search for Ballydoyle's top Derby candidate will continue this week with Albert Hall trying to reverse last year's Racing Post Trophy form with Motivator in the Dante.

"We just hope it will be a competitive race because that will help us decide who's best," said O'Brien. "Albert Hall is in good form and has had no hold ups but like all ours he will improve for the run."

Albert Hall was a two-and-a-half-length runner-up to Motivator at Doncaster last October and won the Group Two Beresford Stakes before that.

Gypsy King is the market leader for the Derby after his Dee Stakes triumph on Friday and O'Brien says that the colt will not run again before Epsom.

"He surprised me at Chester because he basically went there with one racecourse gallop behind him. But Kieren (Fallon) gave him a great education and the race had no effect on him. He licked the pot when he came home," he said.

The former Grade One winner, Davenport Milenium, will rarely get a better chance over fences than he will in this evening's Beginners Chase at Killarney.

For a horse that won the two big novice hurdle events in the one week at Punchestown, Davenport Milenium's chasing career has been a relative let down but crucially the forecast "yielding" ground will be a lot more suitable than what he has had to deal with.

Davenport Milenium also comes here on the back of a decent run behind Forget The Past at last month's Punchestown festival and the frustrating Kahuna looks an opponent he can readily cope with.

The Willie Mullins pair Jasmin D'Oudairies and Joueur D'Estruval renew rivalry from the Punchestown festival in the handicap chase and the extra trip could suit the latter more while a 6lb penalty doesn't look enough to stop Wildwood following up a Navan success in the last.