The G1 Cazoo Derby field is currently at 19, with as many as six Aidan O'Brien colts set to compete, including the ante-post favourite dual Group 3 winner Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G2 Beresford S. hero and G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. third High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was the Derby favourite over the winter. French Group 1 winner Van Gogh (American Pharoah), third in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas is possible, although he is also one of 20 left in the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. O'Brien also has two-time winners Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the Leopardstown winner The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). However, a final call on which Ballydoyle horses will step forward in the Blue Riband will be made on Wednesday.
“It's not definite yet what we're sending,” said the master of Ballydoyle. “They've all done their last piece of work this morning and that is being analysed at the moment.
“When the figures come back from all those works, they'll be sent to the lads [owners] this evening. They'll be blooded and scoped in the morning and we'll have the results of that at lunchtime tomorrow or a little bit later. After that we'll see what the lads want to do.
“Obviously with Bolshoi Ballet, this has been his target all the way. High Definition the same, but he didn't have a clear passage obviously to York. Kyprios and Sir Lamorak both have other options, The Mediterranean is in at Leopardstown on Thursday and Van Gogh has an option of going to France [for the French Derby on Sunday]. Everything went well this morning and it's so far so good with them.”
“I think it's very competitive.,” O'Brien said of this year's Derby entries. “There's horses that have come from different trials over different trips and I think they all have to be respected.
“For me, there is no doubt the Derby is the most important race of all. The whole thoroughbred breed is measured by the Derby–because it's the most gruelling race and tough on horses.”
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