Team O'Brien ready for classic contest

Lydia Hislop13 April 2012

Fortress Ballydoyle today opened its electronic gates to lend punters an insight into the meticulous preparation of Vodafone Derby first and second favourite, Hawk Wing and High Chaparral.

But resident trainer Aidan O'Brien - fresh from becoming the first to land a 2,000 Guineas treble in the same season's British, French and Irish versions of that classic - declined to guess which horses table jockey Mick Kinane would choose for Saturday week's Epsom contest.

That decision will be postponed until "two or three days before the race" to allow another rider to be sought for Kinane's reject. Johnny Murtagh and Jamie Spencer are obvious candidates for the plum deputy role.

O'Brien could yet run a third colt in Epsom's £1.2 million event - a purse set to be swollen by the likely entry of Mark Johnstontrained duo, Bandari and Fight Your Corner, at £90,000 apeice by this Saturday's supplementary stage. Either Curragh maiden winner Louisville - who today performed as Hawk Wing's lead horse on the Ballydoyle gallops - or Kentucky Derby flop Castle Gandolfo could join them or illustrious stable mates in O'Brien's attempt to follow up last year's Epsom success with brilliant Galileo.

But Galileo's full brother Black Sam Bellamy and Diaghilev miss Epsom in favour of the French version this Sunday. Composer Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber holds an interest in the latter, along with Coolmore stud mastermind and Manchester United shareholder John Magnier and former East End bookmaker Michael Tabor.

Hawk Wing, who trades as 2-1 favourite for the Derby twice worked behind Louisville over Ballydoyle's four - furlong woodchip gallop today. A steady canter first thing was followed by a faster piece of work. High Chaparral separately performed the same task behind Coronation Cup hope, Ice Dancer.

All four colts are primed for Epsom, having routinely raced around Ballydoyle's replica Tattenham Corner since their two-year-old days. After exercise, O'Brien's first lot cooled down by walking around the indoor school to the sound of chart music and relaxed with a pick of grass before returning to their boxes.

Despite Magnier's wife - great trainer Vincent O'Brien's daughter Sue - drawing upon classical composers among other fields, as a rich source of names for Coolmore, thoroughbreds such as Mozart, Stravinsky and Bach, O'Brien swears by the tones of Liberty X when winding down his string.

"The horses like the sound of the radio we tried classical music and they were not impressed," O'Brien claimed deadpan.

He admitted to doubts over Hawk Wing's stamina but stressed High Chaparral would not fail through want of speed.

"We've got two very eligble horses entered for the Derby, but they are different types " he said. "Hawk Wing's dam stayed ten furlongs and his sire Woodman, is an influence for speed. You wouldn't be worried about running him in the July Cup over six furlongs.

"High Chaparral is by Sadler's Wells, so you take it for granted he stays. But there's no doubt he's fast enough to have run in the Guineas, had we wanted him to. He's got loads of speed, plenty of class, great balance and quickens well."

O'Brien plans to be at least triple-handed in Friday week's Vodafone Oaks. Yesterday's Irish 1000 Guineas 2-3, Quarter Moon and Starbourne, are definite starters along with six placed Kournakova. Seventh Maryinsky remains a possible.

With Royal Ascot starting just ten days after the Derby, O'Brien highlighted Statue of Liberty, Tomahawk and Marino Marini as his two-year-olds to follow. But despite O'Brien's three-strong raiding party, Epsom faces the smallest field sine Njinsky beat ten rivals in 1970.

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