Aidan O'Brien yesterday confirmed that last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Saffron Walden will have his first start of this year in Sunday's Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh and the Ballydoyle trainer has also outlined the long term plan for the highly rated Bernstein.
One of the top Irish two-year-olds of 1999, Bernstein had been lined up for a tilt at today's Darley July Cup but was a surprise withdrawal on Tuesday. Now he is being aimed at Haydock's Group 1 Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup in early September.
"Before that I would hope to give Bernstein a run in the Phoenix Sprint, a Group Three race over six furlongs, on Heinz day at Leopardstown," O'Brien said yesterday. "He did extremely well when we gave him a break and I just felt the July Cup would come a little too soon."
Saffron Walden has been off the track for 11 months but will reappear in the Group Three mile race at the Curragh on Sunday. "The plan is to run. He's had a few little setbacks this season but he's very well now and ready for a race," said O'Brien who could be double-handed in the Oaks on Sunday.
"Chiang-Mai would need rain but if it came and there was a cut in the ground she could run along with Amethyst. We haven't sorted out jockey arrangements yet," he said.
The Ballydoyle trainer has nine of the 15 left in the Anglesey Stakes but the Leopardstown Listed winner Pirate Of Penzance is the likely stable first string for the race.
Meanwhile, the on-going speculation surrounding Michael Kinane's return from back injury is set to be resolved tomorrow when he is scheduled to meet the Turf Club medical officer in order to be passed fit to ride the favourite Kalypso Katie in Sunday's Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks.
Kinane has been out of action for 12 days so far, and misses today's July Cup, but there are hopes he will be available for a return on Sunday.
Dr Walter Halley said yesterday: "I will see Michael on Friday and I hope to be able to clear him to ride at the Curragh on Sunday. I've only spoken to him on the phone so I can't really say any more but hopefully he will return on Sunday."
Kieren Fallon yesterday revealed that he is unlikely to return to race-riding this year. The champion jockey has been out of action since sustaining an injury to his left shoulder in a pile-up in the Ascot Stakes at last month's Royal meeting. The injury was so serious that he could have lost the use of his left arm if a quick decision to operate had not been made.
