Aidan O'Brien triple-handed in search for 16th Derby Trial success at Leopardstown

No race on the calendar epitomises Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on the Flat racing scene in Ireland more than the Derby Trial Stakes (3.25) at Leopardstown, an event he has won an astonishing 15 times. 

He has won the last four runnings with Broome (2019), Cormorant (2020), Bolshoi Ballet (2021) and Stone Age (2022), while Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) landed this on the way to victory in the Derby. 

Although Cormorant returned at 12-1, Stone Age was 10-11, Bolshoi Ballet was evens and Broome 2-5 so punters had a good gauge on who was the Ballydoyle number one going into the race. Not this year. 

With Ryan Moore, who has ridden the last two winners, on duty at Newmarket, it is hard to know which of the Ballydoyle trio is the stable first string. 

Seamie Heffernan is on Londoner, who has the benefit of a run under his belt having finished a close-up fourth in the Prix Noailles at Longchamp last month, while Mohawk Chief has blinkers on for the first time following a lacklustre return to action in the Ballysax. 

Perhaps Tower Of London is the most interesting of all given he was a course maiden winner last season and was only 2-1 to beat Auguste Rodin in a Group 2 on Irish Champions Weekend. Wayne Lordan keeps the ride on him. 

Speaking about the three colts, O'Brien said: "Londoner had a nice run at Longchamp the last day and Christophe [Soumillon] liked him. He should come forward for that. Tower Of London is a smart colt who we've been happy with. We think he could be nice. Mohawk Chief was very idle the last day in the Ballysax so we're putting a pair of blinkers on him. We think they will help him."

You wouldn't get a big price about an O'Brien getting on the roll of honour in 2023 as not only does Aidan run three, his youngest son Donnacha is represented by the 113-rated Proud And Regal, while Joseph has Ballysax runner-up Up And Under. 

If there is someone to upset the O'Briens, perhaps it could be Jessica Harrington. 

Sprewell quickened up nicely to win a tasty four-runner affair at Naas in March and she has aimed him at this ever since. 

Tarawa: makes her seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown on SundayCredit: Caroline Norris

She said: "He had two solid runs last season and was impressive when winning at Naas in March. This has been the plan since then."

It is a big Sunday for Dermot Weld who, of course, has the Qipco 1,000 Guineas favourite in Tahiyra but he also allows the promising Tarawa to make her seasonal debut in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes (2.15). 

She went into plenty of notebooks when landing a maiden over seven furlongs at Leopardstown in late October and Weld is hoping for a nice performance from her. Billy Lee takes a rare ride for the master of Rosewell House. 

Weld said: "I've been waiting for some decent ground for Tarawa. She's a very good-actioned filly and won her maiden nicely at the track. Hopefully she can give a good account of herself, although Leopardstown appears to have got a lot more rain than most places in the last week."

Sheila Lavery has sent out two winners from her last six runners, including one at 12-1 in a Naas maiden, and last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up New Energy makes his eagerly awaited return to action in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes (2.50). He is 4lb clear on ratings and should take some stopping.

Sunday previews:

1.15 Newmarket: 'He looks the one to beat' - 2021 Derby hero Adayar returns in the rescheduled Gordon Richards Stakes   

1.50 Newmarket: 'This has been the plan pretty much since he won last year' - Baker hoping for a repeat   

3.00 Newmarket: 'She should be a big player even with her penalty' - who rates his filly's chances highly in the Dahlia?   

3.40 Newmarket: 'The race is two weeks earlier than I'd have ideally liked' - Weld sounds note of caution over favourite Tahiyra   

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