Aidan O'Brien expects Ryan Moore to delay Epsom call for Derby ride

Aidan O'Brien expects jockey Ryan Moore to leave it late before deciding on his ride in the Investec Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

Ryan Moore with Aidan O'Brien Picture: Racing and Sports

The Ballydoyle handler has saddled five previous winners of the premier Classic and has seven horses in contention for this year renewal.

The shortest priced of the septet is Dee Stakes winner Cliffs Of Moher, who is disputing favouritism with some bookmakers.

O'Brien can also call upon Chester Vase one-two-three Venice Beach, Wings Of Eagles and the Anvil, as well as the first and third from the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, Douglas Macarthur and Capri.

Completing the trainer's team is outsider Finn McCool.

O'Brien said: "We've seven left in and they all seem to be well at the moment.

"The three from the Chester Vase are very strong possibles and the horse that won the Dee Stakes and the two from Leopardstown.

"Ryan doesn't have to make up his mind until Thursday morning. We'll go through all the horses and everything will be discussed. I wouldn't say anything is written in stone yet.

"The two horses from Leopardstown, Douglas Macarthur and Capri, ran a very good race in the Derrinstown and that's a very good trial.

"The three horses that ran in the Chester Vase all ran great races, we thought, and we were very happy with the horse in Dee Stakes."

With O'Brien's seven amongst 20 possible runners, tactics could prove key, but O'Brien plans to leave riding plans to his jockeys.

"The lads will sort that out themselves," he said.

"Epsom is a tough track, there's a lot of twists and turns and ups and downs and it is the Derby."


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