High Definition To Wait For The Irish Derby

Aidan O'Brien has announced that last year's G2 Beresford S. winner High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will miss Saturday's G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom for which he was the winter ante-post favourite and wait for the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh June 26. Confirming that TDN Rising Star Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will be the stable's sole representative in the blue riband, the Ballydoyle handler said during racing at The Curragh, “Nothing is written in stone until ten o'clock in the morning, but it looks like the two horses are going to be split. It looks like Bolshoi Ballet is going to Epsom and it looks like High Definition is coming straight here. Bolshoi would be our only runner at Epsom–that's what the lads are thinking to give the two of them a chance at a Derby. St Mark's Basilica and Van Gogh are going to France. Kyprios is going to Ascot for the Queen's Vase and Sir Lamorak might go for the King Edward. We were lucky to get the run into High Definition at York and we think he's a very good horse. A little more time won't do him any harm. It was just to give the two of them a chance until they have to meet. The Curragh Derby is a very important race, as the Epsom Derby is also. I'm very happy with both horses. If we didn't get the run into High Definition then there was no decision to make, as if he didn't run in York then he definitely wouldn't go to Epsom.”

With Frankie Dettori no longer required by Ballydoyle, the 50-year-old who was widely expected to be on High Definition instead gets the call-up for TDN Rising Star John Leeper (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Cristina Patino's May 15 Listed Fairway S. winner was due to be ridden by Adam Kirby, but the owner-breeder was intent on snaring the jockey who steered Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) to glory in the 2012 G1 Irish Champion S. “Frankie was the first choice and was approached quite a while ago, but he has been riding a lot for Aidan in England and that was going to happen until the bolt out of the blue from Ballydoyle this afternoon,” trainer Ed Dunlop explained to the Racing Post. “There are no negatives with Frankie riding in the Derby and the horse's work is all done now. He's done everything we've wanted him to do so far and, touch wood, everything is going well going into the race. The news today came a bit out of the blue, but once Mrs Patino heard she was very keen and instructed us to see if Frankie was available.”