Aidan O'Brien will probably launch a double-pronged attack on the Vodafone Derby with 'Shakespeare' likely to accompany leading contender 'Aristotle' at Epsom on June 10, the trainer confirmed today.
The master of Ballydoyle was in relaxed mood as he outlined his hopes of giving Ireland its first success in racing's blue riband since 1984, when Secreto and El Gran Senor battled it out for an Irish one-two, the former prevailing by a short head. After supervising work at home O'Brien described 'Aristotle' as his best shot of landing the Derby one of the few major races to have eluded him in his relatively short but otherwise supremely successful career.
'This is our best ever hope and I hope we don't mess it up,' he said. 'The horse has shown us loads of class, he has matured as a three-year-old. He always shone. I remember when Michael (Kinane) won on him on his debut at Galway. He said then 'this could be our Derby hope'.
