O'Brien has six in Racing Post

IT WILL require an exceptional performance in Britain’s final Group race of the season for anything to dislodge Dawn Approach’s status as Europe’s top juvenile of 2012 but some of the unbeaten star’s Irish compatriots look like attacking Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy in force.

Over half of the 15 entries left in the Doncaster feature are Irish-trained including six from Ballydoyle as Aidan O’Brien chases a seventh win in the prestigious mile event. They include the supplementary entry Kingsbarns, impressive winner of his only start at Navan recently, and the Beresford hero Battle Of Marengo.

Dawn Approach’s stable companion, Trading Leather, a Group Three winner at Newmarket earlier in the month, is also a possible starter as is Andrew Oliver’s Futurity hero, First Cornerstone.

Richard Hannon’s pair, Havana Gold and Van Der Neer, are joined by the Royal Lodge winner Steeler on the home team.

In National Hunt news, the Peter Casey-trained Flemenstar is likely to kick off his winter campaign in the two-mile Fortria Chase in just over a fortnight’s time. The Powers Gold Cup winner is a 12 to 1 in some lists for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Casey said yesterday: “He came back to us a while ago and looks super. He has strengthened up a lot and the plan is to start him off at Navan. After that I’d say he’ll go for something like the Durkan at Punchestown.”