Derby hopeful Piz Badile 'has all the right attributes', says Donnacha O'Brien

Donnacha O'Brien believes deeply exciting Classic hope Piz Badile has "all the right attributes" for next month's Cazoo Derby, and has revealed the Ballysax Stakes scorer will go straight to Epsom without another run.

A tilt at Sunday's Derby Trial Stakes, better known as the Derrinstown, had been mooted in the aftermath of last month's gutsy Group 3 success under Gavin Ryan.

However, the attractive Ulysees colt will instead bid to emulate 2016 Derby hero Harzand in going straight to Epsom after landing the Ballysax.

Sunday will mark the first time that Derrinstown Stud has not sponsored the Classic trial since 1984. The majority of race sponsorships linked to Hamdan Al Maktoum are no longer being renewed following his death in March 2021.

Piz Badile (near) got his head in front on the line to register a first Group 3 win at Leopardstown last monthCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

News of Reach For The Moon being ruled out of the Derby on Tuesday morning saw Piz Badile shorten to 11-1 fourth-favourite with bet365, behind 2-1 market leader Luxembourg.

Latest odds and entries for the 2022 Cazoo Derby on June 4

O'Brien said: "All is perfect with him – we're going straight to Epsom. He's in fantastic form and we decided the best route was for him to head straight there.

"We have a lot of big-race targets later in the year and we didn't think he needed another run before the Derby to get him right. We feel like we can get him right by heading straight there."

O'Brien has never made any secret of the high regard in which he holds the three-year-old, who is owned and bred by the Niarchos Family, speaking highly of him after making a winning debut at Killarney last July.

There was also a timely boost to the form of his Leopardstown success at the Curragh on Monday when runner-up Buckaroo ran out an impressive winner of the Listed Tetrarch Stakes.

Buckaroo (near side): franked Piz Badile's Ballysax Stakes form by winning at the Curragh on MondayCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Making his third career start, Piz Badile battled back tenaciously to overhaul Buckaroo in the dying strides of the Ballysax last time, with the Joseph O'Brien-trained runner-up trading at 1.01 in running.

O'Brien said: "The form is working out very well. Joseph's horse looks a proper Irish 2,000 Guineas contender, so we're excited.

"We've always thought the world of this horse from day one. He's been very impressive at home, but it's still nice to see him go and do it on the track."

On Piz Badile's credentials for the Derby, O'Brien added: "He's very straightforward mentally. We think he has all the right attributes, although until you go to a place like Epsom you obviously don't know how it will unfold."

Piz Badile was one of 43 horses kept in contention for the Derby at Tuesday's acceptance stage, with 2,000 Guineas first and second Coroebus and Native Trail among 50 runners taken out of the race.

Duke De Sessa, who finished third in the Ballysax, is one of 13 in contention for Sunday's Derby Trial Stakes (4.35) at Leopardstown.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Stone Age sets the standard on ratings with a mark of 109, while Atomic Jones, who defeated Stone Age at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend last September, could make his seasonal bow for Ger Lyons.

Cazoo Derby (4.30 Epsom, June 4)

Bet365: 5-2 Luxembourg, 6 New London, 9 Walk Of Stars 11 Piz Badile, 14 Point Lonsdale, Eydon, 16 Buckaroo, Desert Crown, Cash 18 bar

Read more:

The Queen's Reach For The Moon ruled out of Derby date in Platinum Jubilee blow

'We've always liked him a lot' - favourite Luxembourg heads straight to Derby

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