O'Brien turns to Kent

Racing News and preview: Aidan O'Brien has turned to well- known physio Liz Kent to help him get the Derby favourite Yeats to Epsom in top shape for Saturday's big race

Kent, who was vital to bringing the top chaser Beef Or Salmon back to peak form at Punchestown in April, and who also treated Alamshar before his Irish Derby victory last year, has been working on Yeats since a muscle problem arose with the colt over 10 days ago.

However, the Ballydoyle team gave an upbeat bulletin on the unbeaten Yeats yesterday and, as expected, left him among the 16-strong field after the latest confirmation stage alongside stable companions Meath and Moscow Ballet.

"Elizabeth Kent has been treating him more or less every day since he tweaked the muscle and so far it's been good. Hopefully it will stay like that. When they tweak a muscle like that it's not ideal but so far so good," O'Brien said yesterday.

John Oxx credited Liz Kent with helping to get Alamshar to the post for the 2003 Irish Derby after a pre-race scare that threatened his participation.

Kent also made the headlines at the Punchestown National Hunt Festival in April when Michael Hourigan praised her role in the rehabilitation of Beef Or Salmon after the chaser won the Heineken Gold Cup.

Yeats just about maintained his position at the top of the Derby betting yesterday when other Irish-trained stars such as Azamour, Grey Swallow and Cairdeas were taken out.

Paddy Power reported money for the Godolphin hope Snow Ridge who is now 3 to 1 from 100 to 30, just behind the unbeaten O'Brien star who remains the market leader at 5 to 2.

Two colts, Hazyview and Gatwick, were supplemented into the Derby at a cost of £75,000 each and the authorities at Epsom report the ground at the famous track to be "good" and "good to firm" in places.

Despite that report O'Brien said yesterday he will examine the ground for himself before the Derby Festival which begins on Friday with the Oaks and the Coronation Cup.

"I don't think the track or the ground will be a problem with Yeats but there is a worry about the going for the fillies in the Oaks," he declared.

O'Brien has four horses left in the Oaks, All Too Beautiful, Baraka, Necklace and Kisses For Me, as he goes in search of a third win in the race.

However, he said: "We all know how important the ground is at Epsom and unless it is very safe we might not chance them. All the fillies want an ease and we want them to stay around."

O'Brien has yet to decide on whether or not the Gallinule Stakes winner Meath, who is as low as 25 to 1, will run at Epsom or instead wait for a crack at Sunday's Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

However, it does look like Criquette Head Maarek will try and secure a first French victory at Epsom for 28 years with American Post.

This evening's fixture at Ballinrobe sees the Christy Roche-trained Galtee View try for a quick double up in the handicap hurdle after a two-length defeat of Felix The Great at Limerick last Saturday evening.

Galtee View has a 6lb penalty for that and has to carry topweight, but neither factor should be enough to stop him.

Bottom Dollar ran a decent fourth on his racecourse debut behind Laurel View at Navan on fast ground and is preferred to Rivermore in the bumper.

It's Showtime has a 97 rating in the maiden hurdle but the ground might not be ideal for a Roselier horse and Sort It Out could be an alternative.