Ante-post favourite Al Riffa will not run in in Saturday’s Irish 2,000 Guineas after suffering “a little setback” in training.

A son of Wootton Bassett, he made three starts last year for Joseph O’Brien, all at the Curragh, and signed off the campaign with a length-and-a-quarter success over Proud And Regal in the Group One National Stakes.

However, the Jassim Bin Al Attiyah-owned colt has not raced since September and while market leader for the mile Classic, he will be a notable absentee.

O’Brien said: “He has just had a little setback training. Hopefully it is nothing too serious and he will be back later in the summer.

“He has options at Ascot and further afield than that as well.

“These things happen, so it’s a long way from a problem. It is obviously disappointing for the owners. This race has been his target for the last while, but we will look forward to things later in the summer.

“Timing-wise Royal Ascot will be fine, but we will have to decide whether we want to run there or in other races. We’ll not be rushing into any decision.

“Everything else is good. We are looking forward to what is going to be a great weekend of racing at the Curragh. It is very competitive action and there’s much to look forward to.”

With Al Riffa missing the race, Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean heads the market.

Oisin Murphy is thrilled to have live chances in both the Betfred Derby and Oaks at Epsom next week as he bids to continue his excellent comeback campaign.

The three-time champion jockey has been in high demand since returning from a 14-month suspension for alcohol and Covid breaches and has already claimed Classic glory aboard the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Mawj in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Murphy has not yet won the Derby or the Oaks – but has high hopes of netting one or both this year with The Foxes and Running Lion respectively.

The Foxes, trained by Andrew Balding, cemented his Derby claims with victory in the Dante Stakes at York last week, while John and Thady Gosden’s Running Lion oozed class when landing Newmarket’s Pretty Polly Stakes and delighted her connections when working over just shy of a mile at Epsom’s Derby Festival Gallops Morning on Monday.

“We were obviously delighted with Running Lion at Newmarket. She came out of the race well and today she went down very relaxed,” said Murphy.

“We jumped off just inside the mile and the idea was not to go mad but to do a sensible bit of work. We let them flow down the hill, maybe from the six-furlong pole round Tattenham Corner.

“Once I got her organised, although she didn’t take too much organising, I let her go forward in the straight but I resisted the temptation to ask her for an effort because I thought the Pretty Polly with a little bit of dig in the ground wasn’t long ago.

“That race would have made sure she was very fit so today was more about having a nice away day and coming here relaxing and going home.”

Murphy is keen to reward the support of those who have supported him since his return to the saddle, adding: “I’m so relieved and thankful to the trainers and the owners since I’ve been back. I’ve ridden for over 40 different trainers in Britain and I think I’m the busiest jockey in England and probably in Europe thanks to them.

“The Foxes was great in the Dante and I heard he was perfect when he trotted up on Friday. Hopefully he has a smooth run between now and the race.

“I’m delighted for his owners (King Power Racing) as they have invested an awful lot of money into the sport and to have a live chance in the Derby is great.

“I’m really happy to be in this position. To have two nice horses to ride in those Classics is fantastic.”

Both Running Lion and The Foxes will head to Epsom with stamina doubts hanging over them with neither having raced beyond a mile and a quarter so far.

Running Lion’s top-class sire Roaring Lion had his limitations exposed in that department when third over a mile and a half in the 2018 Derby, and Murphy admits only time will tell whether it will be the same story for his offspring.

He said: “I don’t know if Running Lion will stay, but no one knows. She might just find the last two furlongs too far, but it would be a nice way to find out in the Oaks if I was still on the bridle approaching the three-furlong market like I was on her sire.

“We don’t know if The Foxes will stay as he is by Churchill and his half-brother Bangkok was a real 10-furlong horse who was by Australia, but it would be nice to find out on the race day.

“Both of them can race a little bit behind the bridle and you can never be 100 per cent certain (they will stay). Going to the start I’m pretty sure neither will waste any energy which is so important as it is a long way down (to the start).”

John Gosden hopes to be double-handed in the Oaks, with Running Lion set to be joined by last week’s Musidora Stakes winner Soul Sister.

The Clarehaven handler does have stamina concerns for Running Lion in particular, but is happy to roll the dice.

He said: “The Musidora winner and this filly are very legitimate trial winners. They won their trials, a Listed and Group Three with authority. They very much belong in the race.

“Stamina-wise you never really know until you go a mile and a half. Everyone thinks it is a downhill track but it rises 150ft before you think about coming down hill and of course that last section where it climbs again at the finish can catch a lot of them out on stamina.

“Both the fillies have a lot of speed. They’re never worked together, but they both won their trials well which is great and I couldn’t be more pleased with the pair of them.

“It’s hard to say until you know with the trip, they’re both bred to be mile-and-a-quarter fillies and the last part is always the key, we don’t know. You can’t practice a race over a mile and a half at home I don’t think.”

Connections of smart filly Bluestocking have not ruled out the possibility she could still run in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday week.

The daughter of Camelot won a decent Salisbury novice over a mile on her debut in September and made her return in the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

The Ralph Beckett-trained filly was sent off favourite under Rossa Ryan for the 10-furlong contest, but was beaten a head by Warm Heart and Ryan Moore.

A general 12-1 chance for the Oaks, the Juddmonte-owned Bluestocking also holds entries in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and both the Group One Pretty Polly at the Curragh and the Irish Oaks in July.

Barry Mahon, Juddmonte’s European racing manager, said the Epsom door is being kept open.

“Plans are pretty fluid. We’ll see how she comes out of the race,” he said.

“Ralph will decide. It is more unlikely than likely. It is not impossible, but we’ll see how she trains in the next week.

“She is an exciting filly going forward and she ran a good race on Saturday. We are very much not ruling it out, but as we all know, it is probably not an ideal preparation for her.

“If she doesn’t go to Epsom, she will go to the Ribblesdale. Ralph was happy with her on Sunday morning and he said let’s keep an open mind for next week and see what happens, so that’s where we’re at.”

Haskoy, who took the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes by a short head from Israr on the same card, could head to the Ascot Gold Cup.

Connections are unsure if the four-year-old, who was having her seasonal bow following three runs last term, culminating in a two-length defeat in the St Leger – will get the two-and-a-half-mile trip.

“It was a lovely run,” said Mahon. “She is a lovely mare, so genuine, so tough. We’ll just keep an open mind and will see how she trains, and we’ll think about Gold Cups closer to the time.

“The problem with the Gold Cup is no one really knows, until you actually try it, if you’ll stay.

“Ralph is happy enough that he thinks she’ll stay. Personally, I’m a little bit doubtful, but if it is deemed the right thing to do, we’re game and we’ll give it a go.

“We’re not trying to protect any stud values or anything. If Ralph and Frankie (Dettori) decided it was the right thing to do, we’ll possibly give it a go.

“It is tough for a four-year-old filly who has only had four runs.

“The good thing with her is that she is so genuine, so tough, there is no mental fragility. She is just a tough, genuine mare.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Betfred Derby hopes may be pinned to one horse as he ponders alternative options for his other entrants.

The Ballydoyle trainer’s leading Derby chance is Auguste Rodin, winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes and the Vertem Futurity Trophy as a two-year-old.

The son of Deep Impact is out of a Group One-winning mare in Rhododendron and was the 13-8 favourite for the 2000 Guineas as he started his season on the Rowley Mile.

The race was a totally luckless affair for the colt, however, as he and stablemate Little Big Bear were unplaced after the latter finished lame and the former suffered interference early on.

Epsom on June 3 is still the next step for Auguste Rodin, as the Newmarket run has a line drawn firmly through it.

O’Brien said: “We think what happened was that Little Big Bear got galloped into and he got knocked over on top of Auguste Rodin and wiped him out.

“Then he ended up getting caught in a pocket for a couple of furlongs. It was a bit of a non-event and Ryan (Moore) accepted it.

“We always knew that for him going to the Guineas every single thing was going to have to fall right for him because he is a middle-distance horse.

“Obviously it didn’t and the rest is history. What we are very happy with is the way he came out of the race, he came out of it very well.

“All the signs are very good with him since, so we just put a line through it and look forward on to the Derby because that was always the plan. We’re looking forward to that now.

“There are other horses in it, but I’d imagine he’ll definitely be the main one.”

Among the other horses in question are San Antonio, winner of the Dee Stakes at Chester, and Adelaide River, second in the Chester Vase at the same meeting.

Both hold a Derby entry but may head instead for the French version of the race, the Prix du Jockey Club, at Chantilly on June 4.

“San Antonio, who won in Chester, could go to the French Derby the day after (Epsom) and Adelaide River, who was second in Chester, could go that way as well,” O’Brien said.

“Obviously by far Auguste Rodin is the main horse (for Epsom) and always was.”

Another Ballydoyle entrant is Continuous, last seen finishing third to The Foxes in the Dante at York last week.

Epsom may be too quick a turnaround for the Heart’s Cry colt, with options at Royal Ascot and the Curragh also under consideration.

“Continuous is a horse that hasn’t had a clear run, and had three of four hold-ups. That’s why it’s taken so long to get him out,” O’Brien said.

“He was kind of 75 per cent or a little bit more so he needed to get out and run. That’s why we were really happy with his run, he’s going to progress a lot from there.

“He might be a horse that might like a flat track, I’m not sure, and maybe Epsom is going to come too quick for him. He could be a horse for Ascot or the Curragh.”

Emily Upjohn could make her seasonal reappearance in the Coronation Cup on Friday week.

The daughter of Sea The Stars won three of her first four starts for John and Thady Gosden, including the Musidora Stakes at York, before being beaten a short head by Tuesday in the Oaks.

She subsequently failed to fire in the King George at Ascot, but bounced back to form to secure Group One honours on Champions Day in October – and having missed out on a potential trip to Dubai earlier in the year, she looks set to make her first start since those heroics on the Surrey Downs.

Speaking after putting his Derby hopefuls Arrest and Running Lion through their paces at Epsom on Monday morning, John Gosden said: “We’ll leave Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and she worked nicely over the weekend. Obviously she was just a short head shy in the Oaks last year, she’s in good form and we’ll definitely leave her in that race.

“We had a look at Dubai and it was too soon for her. We had this February and it was sort of spring like, it fooled all of us and the fillies and then along came a cold and wet March and April and a lot of the fillies just went back into themselves.

“A lot of the colts did similar and then we’ve had a lot of testing and heavy ground, so I think it’s been a bit of a muddling first part of the season with a combination of the two. To that extent she was very much taking her time, but she seems to be coming to herself now.

“I think it will be a good race, it looks like Westover will be there so it will be a really solid race. The Japanese aren’t bringing that world champion (Equinox) as the track is a little complicated for him I’d say, but he put up some performance in Dubai.”

Frankie Dettori is optimistic Arrest can provide him a dream success in his final Betfred Derby on Saturday week after putting the colt through his paces at Epsom on Monday morning.

The son of Frankel emerged as a major contender for the premier Classic when demolishing his rivals in the Chester Vase on very soft ground earlier this month, after which joint-trainer John Gosden was hesitant to fully commit his sizeable three-year-old to a run at Epsom on June 3.

But after successfully traversing Tattenham Corner and seemingly handling the cambered track in a workout just short of a mile at the Derby Festival Gallops Morning, he looks set to take his chance.

Dettori, who in December announced 2023 will be final year in the saddle, will be bidding for a third Derby success following the victories of Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn, and is delighted to be partnering a horse with leading claims on what will be his 28th and final ride in the great race.

“It’s all about getting used to the course and the most crucial part is Tattenham Corner, where horses can really win or lose a race,” said the 52-year-old Italian.

“He went round there fine. In the straight, it took him a furlong to get organised but he’s a big horse. He then went very straight and I was very happy with him.

“I have been fortunate enough to win the Derby twice and it is still the most famous race in the world for us. When I started my career as a jockey, first of all you want to get a ride in it and then try to win it. I’ve had over 20 rides in it and this is my last go. At least I am going into my last Derby with a great chance.

“It looks a wide-open Derby and I haven’t seen any horse really dominating any of the trials – they all won, but nobody won by a really wide margin so it looks a competitive and open Derby.”

With Arrest proving he handles soft ground so well, Dettori is hoping conditions are again on the easy side next week.

He added: “He is growing up and getting stronger. The ground is an issue, but Andrew (Cooper, clerk of the course at Epsom) always does a great job and I haven’t ridden in a very fast Derby for a long time – it has always been good or good to soft and, fingers crossed, the rain will continue.

“Every week horses improve and we still have two weeks to go. I would expect this horse after the gallop today to go on a bit and it’s very hard to assess one year to the next. But I am very pleased with him – he looks great and has done well in the gallop this morning.

“We always thought a bit of him last year, but he was all frame and no muscle. He did well over the winter and Chester was great. In the other trials Passenger (third in the Dante Stakes) impressed me most – he’s not in the Derby at the moment, but I expect he will be (supplemented).”

Gosden, who trains Arrest in partnership with his son Thady, was similarly pleased with how Arrest took to the idiosyncratic Epsom track.

He said: “This horse can change gears, absolutely. He’s a big boy and he proved he stayed the other day (in the Chester Vase) when he handled the conditions. He doesn’t need it to be like that.

“He’s a big boy and they always say that when they’re leggy like that the track is trickier for them here, but Frankie said he got himself organised and came nicely on the bit down Tattenham Corner onto the straight – so he was pleased enough with him.

“I think it’s all about getting a feel for the track and not actually about finding out how fast they can go around the track today. I tend to save that for the following weekend. We clearly were pulling up at the half-furlong marker, we weren’t going to the finish line and then rolling off down the hill, so it was very much an exercise gallop and not a test of ability.

“He was touched off in the Group One over a mile and a quarter at Saint-Cloud last year, so he was in the Derby then and he was the only one I had that was likely to come to the Derby and put up a bold show. You’re always lucky if you’ve got more than one to look at.

“It’s about 4-1 or 5-1 the field and to that extent he belongs right up there with them.”

Dettori is also set to team up with the Gosdens in the Betfred Oaks, with Soul Sister staking her claim for the fillies’ Classic with an impressive victory in the Musidora Stakes at York last week.

“John kept believing in her and when she ran at Newbury (finished last in the Fred Darling Stakes) his horses were not running that well,” said the jockey.

“At York she took me by surprise as she quickened twice, travelled and clocked a very good time. I was impressed.

“She has to go an extra two furlongs in the Oaks, but the signs are good. Obviously the (Aidan) O’Brien filly (Savethelastdance) who won by 22 lengths at Chester and is going to be hard to beat, but we’ll give it a go.”

John Dance will be permitted to run horses as an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority continues – but not under his own name or that of his wife, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.

Dance founded Vertem Asset Management, a prominent sponsor within racing, but that firm is one of three trading names of WealthTek LLP, which was ordered to cease trading by the FCA due to what it said were “serious regulatory and operational issues coming to light”.

Dance co-owned the leading chaser Bravemansgame who was subsequently barred from running at Aintree, but was later allowed to resume his career as Bryan Drew took sole ownership.

Now Dance’s other horses, most of which reside with salaried trainer James Horton, will be able to run under either the Coverdale Stud or the Titanium Racing Club names rather than under the John and Jess Dance banner.

A statement from the BHA on Monday read: “While the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) investigation into Mr Dance continues, it has agreed to sufficient ongoing funds being released to cover the costs of Mr Dance’s racing operations, in accordance with the terms of the High Court’s Freezing Order.

“This is with a view to supporting the welfare of the horses and the livelihoods of the staff impacted by the investigation.

“The BHA is therefore permitting runners through Mr Dance’s business, in the name of Coverdale Stud and Titanium Racing Club. Mr or Mrs Dance will not be permitted to have personal runners in their own names.

“Any prize money or other business profits will be frozen under the terms of the High Court’s Order and the BHA remains in continued dialogue with the FCA to supervise this arrangement.

The BHA continues to work with the FCA to ensure the terms of the High Court’s Order are complied with, whilst prioritising the wellbeing of the horses and people affected.”

Gala Marceau ran out a convincing winner of the Prix Alain du Breil at Auteuil to give Willie Mullins a third win in the big four-year-old Grade One.

Mullins also ran Zarak The Brave in the race and the betting suggested he was the better fancied of the pair but having been settled in the rear by Paul Townend, he could only run on into third, ultimately beaten a long way.

Gala Marceau was ridden by Danny Mullins, as she has been all season which had already been fruitful.

She beat stablemate Lossiemouth at the Dublin Racing Festival before finishing second to that rival in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and third at Punchestown but with that one staying in Closutton this weekend, she was able to return to winning ways.

Losange Bleu, the favourite, set out to make all but Gala Marceau always looked to be travelling strongly and when she jumped upsides at the last the race was over in a matter of strides as she pulled seven lengths clear.

Mullins has previously won the race with Diakali in 2013 and Footpad three years later.

Ireland’s champion trainer had earlier been out of luck with Franco De Port and Carefully Selected in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris having also drawn a blank on Saturday.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing Willie Mullins said: “A winner at last!

“We were getting worried but we had no excuses for any of the others, they just weren’t good enough on the day.

“This mare was a revelation. She has been improving all season. I said to Danny just get her settled and get her coming home. Once he got her settled he just kept counting down the furlongs and when she took over the race was over.

“It’s a big improvement for her and a notable scalp too because there was a lot of confidence behind the favourite so we’re very pleased. Zarak The Brave didn’t jump well enough in the first mile, he didn’t have the experience.

“We’ll be back and it’s nice to have one on the board.”

Danny Mullins said: “I’m lucky enough to be a small part of a very big team and to get another Grade One winner on the board is fantastic, this is the last really big weekend of the jumps season.

“The mare has been very good to me this season, she ran very well at Cheltenham and she showed how tough she was today.

“She jumped fantastic down the back which enabled me to save a bit for the home turn and she hit the line very strong, she wasn’t stopping.

“She has won a Grade One in Ireland, ran with a lot of credit at the big festivals and to come here and win, we’re delighted. Next season could be bright for her as well.

“It’s fantastic to win here. For me it’s all about winning the Grade Ones and to do that in Ireland, England, America and now here – I might try a few places further afield now, it’s all about enjoying it.”

The Antarctic held on bravely to give Aidan O’Brien his fifth win in the Goffs Lacken Stakes – getting his ticket stamped for Royal Ascot in the process.

The son of Dark Angel has always carried a huge reputation having commanded 750,000 guineas as a yearling and he is a brother to four-time Group One-winning sprinter Battaash.

He won three times from eight starts as a juvenile, only once finishing outside the first three, but despite being sent off the 13-8 favourite for this Group Three event, had to bounce back from a disappointing return when beaten almost seven lengths by Jessica Harrington’s Ocean Quest at Navan.

Having travelled powerfully throughout in the hands of Ryan Moore, it looked as if The Antarctic had the field covered as he began to lengthen inside the final furlong.

However, on the opposite side of the track his Navan conqueror was also beginning to hit top gear and with some of the chasing pack also finding a second wind in the closing stages, favourite backers would have been sweating as the field flashed past the winning post.

The Antarctic returned a head clear of the 5-2 second favourite Ocean Quest with Ocean Jewel (third), Thunderbear (fourth) and Shartash (fifth) all within touching distance at the finish.

“I’m delighted with him. Obviously, he made good progress from Navan and he just needed that as well,” said O’Brien.

“Navan was tough, soft ground, there wouldn’t have been much of an edge put on him but that will leave a lovely edge on him.

“Ryan was delighted with him, he said he got a little bit lonely and idle in the last half a furlong, but we couldn’t be happier with him.

“He had progressed plenty without us really having to chase him. We thought this race would bring him the rest of the way and if everything stays well we should be able to let him coast into Ascot now.”

The Antarctic was cut 10-1 from 33s by Paddy Power for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, but it is not certain that the grey will line up in the six furlong Group One, with the Jersey Stakes also a possibility depending how stablemate Little Big Bear performs in the Sandy Lane at Haydock next weekend.

O’Brien continued: “We have a choice at Ascot. Little Big Bear is going to run next week over six at Haydock and he would have the option of going to the Jersey over seven if Little Big Bear went to the Commonwealth Cup.

“This horse is going to come forward again, he’s still a little bit tubby but he’s coming. It will depend on where Little Big Bear goes.

“It always looked like he’d get seven. Ryan said today he was surprised that he quickened as much as he did.”

River Tiber preserved his unbeaten record and booked his ticket to Royal Ascot with a convincing win at Naas.

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Wootton Bassett was sent off the 2-9 favourite for the Coolmore Stud Calyx Race on the back of an impressive 10-length demolition job at Navan on debut – and although momentarily under pressure when Ryan Moore asked his mount to quicken, River Tiber soon exerted his dominance to win going away by two and a half lengths.

O’Brien was delighted with the performance, believing the outing will provide the perfect education ahead of his trip to Ascot next month, and River Tiber heads the market for the Coventry Stakes at the big meeting with Coral going 3-1 and both Paddy Power and Betfair a shade shorter at 11-4.

“I was very happy and very happy that we ran him. He hadn’t been asked to do anything off the bridle at home, then he went to Navan and won very easily in soft ground so he probably doesn’t know a lot,” said O’Brien.

“It was good strong pace today on good ground and before Ascot it’s very important that they do that.

“Ryan had to catch a hold of him and make him get down and stretch, he would have learned an awful lot and he was very happy with him. We were delighted.

“I thought that he might not even come off the bridle as he shows loads at home. Ger’s (Lyons) horse (Tourist, second) is obviously a good horse, he took him off the bridle.

“Ger’s was second to one of ours (Johannes Brahms) here the last day and we liked him as well.

“He’s a horse to look forward to. We thought he would be a Coventry horse.

“We have three Wootton Bassetts, it’s the first time we’ve had them, and two of the colts are very good. It’s unusual that two colts were good out of the three.

“He’s always shown loads, but very much always on the bridle doing his work and before you go to Ascot you have to take them off it and teach them. Hopefully that’s the job done for him now.”

When asked about the quick ground for the winner he added: “Ryan said he had no problem with it.

“Everyone said that the Wootton Basssetts handle soft ground very well so I wasn’t sure about it, but Ryan was very adamant that it was no problem.

“It’s good ground there and you won’t get much quicker at Ascot.”

There was a first winner for Michael Halford and Tracey Collins since joining forces when Cosmic Vega (14-1) knuckled down gamely in the closing stages to hold off Johnny Murtagh’s Sharlouk in the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes.

“He was all heart and he got a brilliant ride, Ronan is riding out of his skin,” said Halford.

“I’m thrilled for myself and Tracey, it’s a great start. We’ve had to be patient.

“I had to walk the track before I decided to run him or not. It was a close call, but thankfully the owners said that they’d go with my decision. For once we got it right.

“His best form is probably on a turn with a dig in the ground, so I’d be thinking about the Listed race in Killarney for him. I’m not sure about the hustle bustle of Ascot for him.

“Ronan is a very underestimated rider – I don’t think any more, though. He’s a world class jockey and just needs the opportunities as he’s proved with Skitter Skatter and a few other horses. He rode a great race for Jessie (Harrington) during the week in York (on Sounds Of Heaven).

“We’re delighted to have him, he’s a big part of our team and he’s a big team player.”

It is all systems go for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot as Ladies Church continued her rise up the sprinting ladder with a bloodless victory in the Sole Power Sprint Stakes at Naas.

A Listed winner over track and trip as a two-year-old, Johnny Murtagh’s speedy daughter of Churchill added to her tally during a respectable three-year-old campaign by claiming the Group Two Sapphire Stakes.

Having started the year with a pair of pleasing efforts in Meydan, she returned to home soil with aplomb and after tracking the pace set by Adrian Nicholls’ raider Tees Spirit, the 4-1 third-favourite surged clear in the hands of Ben Coen in the closing stages to register a three-length victory over the keeping on Moss Tucker.

“We think the world of this filly and brought her to Dubai during the winter as she likes fast ground,” said Murtagh.

“She was second in a Group two first time out there and I thought she had a real chance on World Cup night. It didn’t happen for some reason, she got a bit of a bump out of the stalls. Ben said she was on the bridle but just didn’t finish off. I think she was on the wrong side of the track as well.

“Since she’s come home her work has been good. It’s hard for three-year-olds to compete in top sprints, she’s four now and I was hoping she’d do something like that today.”

Murtagh had previously indicated this would be a stepping stone to the King’s Stand and confirmed that would be Ladies Church’s next assignment, with Coral, Betfair and Paddy Power all trimming the four-year-old to 14-1 for the five-furlong contest.

“We’re delighted and I think she deserves her place in the King’s Stand,” he continued.

“Even in her work, she works behind, goes to the front and pulls up. I put the cheekpieces on today just to freshen her up and if she did get to the front it might help Ben. She probably didn’t need them today, but it was something different to help her.

“Ben said she pulled up in front and as soon as Billy Lee came to her pulling up she went again.

“We think a lot of her and turned down a lot of money for her. It’s hard to get Group One horses and we think we have one.

“Anyone who has ridden her work always thought she was a high-class filly and could be the real deal. It’s a good start to the season, it’s a big step up to the next level but five furlongs on fast ground at Ascot is made for her.”

Murtagh tasted King’s Stand success twice at Royal Ascot as a jockey, first winning the race aboard Choisir in 2003 before adding to his tally 10 years later with Sole Power.

A further 10 years have passed, but it is somewhat fitting that Murtagh will bid to win the race as a trainer with a horse tuning up for the summer showpiece by claiming a contest named after his former ally.

He added: “She reminds me a little bit of Sole Power, she’s very responsive. She’s very relaxed in behind, but if you sneeze on her she quickens up really well and does things really quickly.

“There are lots of good horses, but the great ones can sit in behind and when you pull them out you just squeeze them and they accelerate.

“It’s like putting your foot on the accelerator. Not a lot of them have it, that’s why the Group One horses are the Group One horses.

“It’s a great feeling for a jockey and it’s not a bad feeling for a trainer as well! I’m pretty happy with that.

“Ben gave her a great ride, he said he was always in control and it was just a matter of when he let her go, and when he let her go she opened up.”

Paddington and Cairo look like spearheading Aidan O’Brien’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas team at the Curragh on Saturday.

Siyouni colt Paddington has won three of his four starts to date, including two impressive victories this term at Naas and the Curragh.

O’Brien experimented with running Cairo on dirt in the UAE Derby last time out, but the son of Quality Road was well beaten. Prior to that he had shown smart form at two, winning the Killavullan Stakes.

“Paddington and Cairo are probably the two mains ones, that’s what we are thinking at the moment,” said O’Brien.

Mediate could try again for Classic honours after finishing sixth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

As the ground was riding soft at Newmarket, O’Brien will be hoping for a dry week to help Meditate’s cause on Sunday.

O’Brien is also considering supplementing the lightly-raced Jackie Oh, beaten in an Oaks trial last time out.

“Meditate is the main one for the 1,000 Guineas and Jackie Oh, who was beaten in the fillies trial over a mile and a quarter at Navan, could come back in trip,” he said.

River Tiber preserved his unbeaten record and booked his ticket to Royal Ascot with a convincing win at Naas.

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Wootton Bassett was sent off the 2-9 favourite for the Coolmore Stud Calyx Race on the back of an impressive 10-length demolition job at Navan on debut – and although momentarily under pressure when Ryan Moore asked his mount to quicken, River Tiber soon exerted his dominance to win going away by two and a half lengths.

O’Brien was delighted with the performance, believing the outing will provide the perfect education ahead of his trip to Ascot next month, and River Tiber heads the market for the Coventry Stakes at the big meeting with Coral going 3-1 and both Paddy Power and Betfair a shade shorter at 11-4.

“I was very happy and very happy that we ran him. He hadn’t been asked to do anything off the bridle at home, then he went to Navan and won very easily in soft ground so he probably doesn’t know a lot,” said O’Brien.

“It was good strong pace today on good ground and before Ascot it’s very important that they do that.

“Ryan had to catch a hold of him and make him get down and stretch, he would have learned an awful lot and he was very happy with him. We were delighted.

“I thought that he might not even come off the bridle as he shows loads at home. Ger’s (Lyons) horse (Tourist, second) is obviously a good horse, he took him off the bridle.

“Ger’s was second to one of ours (Johannes Brahms) here the last day and we liked him as well.

“He’s a horse to look forward to. We thought he would be a Coventry horse.

“We have three Wootton Bassetts, it’s the first time we’ve had them, and two of the colts are very good. It’s unusual that two colts were good out of the three.

“He’s always shown loads, but very much always on the bridle doing his work and before you go to Ascot you have to take them off it and teach them. Hopefully that’s the job done for him now.”

When asked about the quick ground for the winner he added: “Ryan said he had no problem with it.

“Everyone said that the Wootton Basssetts handle soft ground very well so I wasn’t sure about it, but Ryan was very adamant that it was no problem.

“It’s good ground there and you won’t get much quicker at Ascot.”

The Jockey Club is taking every possible precaution to prevent the Betfred Derby at Epsom being disrupted by protesters, saying it has “robust security measures” in place.

The Grand National at Aintree was delayed a little over 10 minutes by animal rights group Animal Rising, with attempts to disrupt the Scottish National at Ayr the following weekend thwarted by police and security staff.

Epsom is owned and run by the Jockey Club and meetings with Surrey Police have taken place to make sure everything possible is done to ensure the two-day fixture runs smoothly.

However, the vastness of the area which needs securing, including public areas where people do not require tickets, presents obvious challenges. A handful of protesters made it onto the track before last year’s race, but were swiftly dealt with.

Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of the Jockey Club, said: “As part of our planning for the Derby Festival, we have been working with Surrey Police to ensure we have a range of robust security measures in place to protect the safety of everyone at the event, especially our equine and human participants, which will always be our number one priority.

“While we completely respect anyone’s right to peaceful and lawful protest, we would condemn illegal and reckless plans to breach security in an effort to disrupt the action on the track and endanger the safety of the participants in the strongest possible terms.

“Thousands of people look forward to attending the Derby every year and millions more will be watching at home and around the world, so we look forward to staging what is not only an important event for the sport but an iconic moment in the British summer and a celebration of the Thoroughbred.”

Westover will be given the chance to erase his Epsom demons when he returns to the Surrey Downs for the Coronation Cup.

Ralph Beckett’s charge was somewhat an unlucky loser in the Derby 12 months ago when seeing his passage up the home straight blocked as Sir Michael Stoute’s Desert Crown was charging towards the winning post.

Westover had to settle for third on that occasion, but did get a Classic in the bag when romping to victory in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on his next start.

Although disappointing in the King George, the Juddmonte-owned Frankel colt ran an encouraging race on unsuitable ground in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and then made a fine reappearance when bumping into the imperious Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

That Meydan second was the near-perfect way to kick off Westover’s four-year-old campaign and his trainer is now looking forward to “physically a more mature horse” returning to Epsom on June 2.

“We are not really going back because we feel we have unfinished business, it is more so that Epsom clearly suited him last year,” said Beckett.

“He handled the track really well for a big horse. It is more the fact I’m looking forward to taking him back there as much as anything else.

“As long as we are in the right place with him then I will be happy. I think inevitably he is physically a more mature horse this year and you can see that in him.

“I think in the long term going to Dubai will make a difference. We will look back at it in helping make him the horse that he is.

“His work has always been good but it has never been stunning. I would be fairly relaxed about what happens at home now.

“It is important that he reaches his ceiling on the track. Whether he has I’m not entirely sure.

“You would hope that he would be a better horse this year because of his size but he has already run to a pretty high level. In that sense it is about maintaining that progression.”

Following the Coronation Cup, the Kimpton Downs handler is eyeing further middle-distance riches and is even toying with the idea of a drop back to 10 furlongs for Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse – where Westover could lock horns once again with his Derby conqueror Desert Crown.

“What I would really like to do, if he were to win the Coronation Cup, would be to drop him back to 10 furlongs for the Eclipse,” continued Beckett.

“He likes Sandown. He won his maiden around there as a two year old and the Classic Trial last year.

“I think the track really suits him. I’d be keen to go back to a mile and a quarter there as it would really play to his strengths.

“It would probably be the only time we go a mile and a quarter this year, but that would depend on whether he won or not at Epsom as he would need to win realistically to go to the Eclipse.”