Epsom and French Derby form to do battle in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh
Aidan O'Brien saddles five, including shock Epsom winner Wings Of Eagles, but still faces stiff competition in the Irish Derby from the likes of Cracksman and Waldgeist.
EPSOM hero Wings Of Eagles leads a five-strong Aidan O'Brien team into battle for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Saturday.
The Ballydoyle maestro has saddled 11 previous winners of the Curragh Classic since breaking his duck with Desert King 20 years ago.
Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012) and Australia (2014) have all completed the English-Irish Derby double for the team and Wings Of Eagles is this year's candidate, having caused a 40-1 upset on the Surrey Downs four weeks ago.
O'Brien also saddles Capri and Douglas Macarthur, who were sixth and seventh respectively at Epsom, as well as The Anvil, who beat just one home in the premier Classic.
Completing the squad is Taj Mahal, who was fourth in the French Derby and occupied the same finishing position in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.
O'Brien said: "We are very happy with Wings Of Eagles and we've been happy with all the horses and their preparation for the Irish Derby on Saturday.
"In the Epsom Derby we found out a lot about all the horses and we were very happy with them all really and they seem to be quite versatile.
"The Curragh is a very fair track and usually every horse if they are good enough they get a good clean shot at it. It's one of the fairest tracks in the world."
The only British-trained representative in this year's line-up is John Gosden's Cracksman, who was just a length behind Wings Of Eagles when third at Epsom.
Gosden, who broke his Irish Derby duck with Jack Hobbs in 2015, is looking forward to the rematch.
"Cracksman is in great form and we're very happy with him," said the Clarehaven handler.
"I thought Wings Of Eagles was impressive in the Derby and it's very clear in my mind he would have been an unlucky loser. He was stopped twice and still won it at the finish, I don't think it was a fluke.
"I think they are very nice horses the pair of them and it will be nice to see them meet up again at the Curragh."
Dual Irish Derby-winning jockey Pat Smullen will partner Cracksman for the first time in the absence of the sidelined Frankie Dettori.
He said: "I must admit I was delighted to get the call, it's a very good spare ride.
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"Cracksman has had a little bit of time since the Derby, so has the winner, and I'm sure both of them will pitch up in tremendous form and it's a case of whoever has improved the most from Epsom.
"I've the utmost respect for all of Aidan's and the French horse (Waldgiest). At the end of the day he was only beaten a short head int he Prix du Jockey Club so that's top-class form as well.
"It's going to be a tough assignment but I'm really looking forward to it."
Master French trainer Andre Fabre is expecting a bold show from Waldgeist following his narrow reverse to Brametot over a mile and a quarter in the French Derby.
Fabre has won the race twice before, with Winged Love (1995) and Hurricane Run (2005).
He said: "He's going to run a good race. I think the extra distance will suit him and a bit of rain would help.
"As long as there is a good pace, which there should be, I think we're going to see a good performance from him.
"He is a very different horse to Hurricane Run. This is a light horse with very good acceleration.
"He stays well and he has a big heart as well as the ability he has already shown.
"I'm a great fan of the Curragh. It is a beautiful track, well designed, you cannot be unlucky as it is a very fair course. You never see a messy race at the Curragh."
There were fears of the ground deteriorating earlier in the week, but with the track having missed the heavy rain that hit other parts of Ireland on Thursday, conditions are set fair.
Evan Arkwright, commercial manager at the Curragh, said: "It was dry on Thursday and we only had one millimetre of rain overnight.
"There are some showers around, but nothing much and everything looks super."
The going on the straight course is yielding, good to yielding in places. The round course is good ,good to yielding in places.
The nine-strong Derby field is completed by the Jessica Harrington-trained Grandee, winner of the King George V Cup at Leopardstown, and Jim Bolger's Godolphin-owned runner Dubai Sand.