The Newmarket 2,000 Guineas winner, King's Best, is now lined up to take on the Derby winners, Sinndar and Holding Court, in a momentous clash at the Curragh on Sunday.
The Michael Stoute-trained colt was pulled out of the Epsom Derby with a muscle problem but is now on target for a first crack at a mile and a half in the Irish Derby.
A spokesman for Stoute said yesterday: "As far as I know the plan is to go to the Curragh and the horse is on course for it."
With Kieren Fallon injured, Pat Eddery, a four-time Irish Derby winner already, will take the ride, and he partnered King's Best in an encouraging nine-furlong gallop at Newmarket on Saturday.
Joe Mercer, spokesman for the owner, said after that gallop: "King's Best went very nicely, just as we expected. The horse is perfectly well and there are no problems at the moment. Everything seems to be going according to Michael's plans."
It had originally been thought King's Best would revert to a mile, over which he was a brilliant winner at Newmarket, but Stoute has a formidable record in the Irish Derby, having won it three times in the 1980s.
Holding Court, the French Derby winner, is expected to be supplemented for the Curragh at a cost of £85,000 tomorrow; and John Oxx reports the Epsom winner, Sinndar, on track for an attempt at a double not completed since Commander In Chief seven years ago.
"He's ticking over nicely, he's fit and he seems in good form," said Oxx who was happy to hear of Beat Hollow's win in France yesterday. "It's good for the Epsom form but it won't help him on Sunday."
Oxx will also run Takali and Raypour in the Derby, while Aidan O'Brien could have a trio of runners.
The Coolmore spokesman Paul Shanahan said yesterday: "As of today, Ciro, Glyndebourne and Shakespeare will all run but what happens during the week no one knows. I imagine all being well the three will run."
Dermot Weld could have two runners from the trio of Muakaad, Grand Finale and Media Puzzle, but with the ground at the Curragh currently described as "good", the attention tomorrow will be on whether Holding Court is supplemented. Trainer Michael Jarvis reported yesterday: "We'll just have to make sure everything is still okay on Tuesday, because when you pay out that sort of money you are committed. He's fine and his preparation has been good. He's not an exuberant work horse for a front-runner - he does just enough."
Crimplene could face a step up in trip for her next race, it emerged yesterday. She could run in the Nassau Stakes over 10 furlongs at Goodwood on August 5th.
