Constitution River is not certain to run in the Betfred Derby despite his impressive win at Chester in his trial last week.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien confirmed during a Monday media morning at Ballydoyle organised by the Jockey Club that both Benvenuto Cellini, another Chester winner, and Pierre Bonnard, beaten in his trial at Leopardstown on Sunday, were on course for the Classic.
However, despite strong market support for Constitution River since his victory, there is still a chance he could remain over 10 furlongs in the French equivalent.
"At the moment, we are looking at the horse that won the Chester Vase, Benvenuto Cellini, for Epsom. We are also looking at the horse that ran yesterday, Pierre Bonnard, for Epsom," said O’Brien.
"Constitution River could possibly go to France – it’s not written in stone. The two horses that went to France for their trials (Montreal and Hawk Mountain), the plan with both of them was definitely to go to France. Those two went to Chantilly around the track and everything.
"Constitution River went to Chester knowing that he could be an Epsom or a French (Derby) horse. And we were happy that it was a mile and a quarter, just in case he was going to go to France. The only thing is, if he goes to France, he’s only been left-handed so far – he hasn’t gone right-handed yet.
"We felt, and the way it was looking, he looked very different going through all his work. He looked very good last year. He had a good long break. And what happened is we were kind of hoping and expecting that it could happen. He seems to have come out of the race well.
"We think the horse that ran yesterday (Pierre Bonnard, runner-up in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown) is going to step up again. He’s going to get a mile and a half and could get further.
"Benvenuto Cellini we think he’s a mile-and-a-half horse that wouldn’t be going any further and he could come back to a mile and a quarter. Pierre Bonnard would have no problem going up to a mile and six (furlongs)."
Asked about stamina questions for Constitution River, O’Brien said: "Constitution River is one of those mile-and-a-quarter horses that could get a mile and a half, but you couldn’t be sure. If you were riding him over a mile and a half, you’d be riding him a bit patiently. But he’s a lot of speed and a lot of class.
"Benvenuto Cellini has speed and class as well. He has a big, open stride and looks like a horse that you would be surprised if he didn’t get a mile and a half, but at the same time, you would be surprised if he gets much further.
"Pierre Bonnard was a massive, big horse and we purposely let him get as big as we could over the winter and as strong as we could because we didn’t want him to turn into a shell early. So we felt we had to run him (in the Ballysax Stakes). The race went a bit wrong and he was needing to run. Because he was where he was, we couldn’t go, say, and attack into him and have him really ready for yesterday because then he wouldn’t carry on to the Derby. So we had to do it gently.
"We stripped him back a bit more for Leopardstown yesterday. The pace was probably too slow for him, but he still ran very well. I would think and we think that he would step up big time next time going a mile and a half."
A big question whenever O’Brien has more than one big Derby runner is which horse Ryan Moore will partner.
Giving an interesting answer to that, O’Brien said: "I think Ryan would find it very hard to get off Benvenuto Cellini, but I would imagine if Constitution River went he would probably get off Benvenuto Cellini. But it wouldn’t be written in stone."
O'Brien is also relishing the prospect of seeing Jan Brueghel and Lambourn take on Calandagan in the Coolmore Coronation Cup on Derby day.
Jan Brueghel inflicted defeat on Calandagan on the Surrey Downs last season, but Francis-Henri Graffard's globetrotting star is unbeaten in five Group One starts since, cementing his status as the world's highest rated middle-distance horse on turf.
Calandagan will be the hot favourite to turn the tables, but O'Brien is confident both Jan Brueghel and his dual Derby-winning stablemate Lambourn will give the French raider plenty to think about after their successful reappearances at Chester last week.
O'Brien said: "The Coronation Cup is going to be an interesting race this year. Hopefully Calandagan will come, I think they're saying he will and we're looking forward to taking him on.
"Hopefully Lambourn will be OK and will come out of Chester well, hopefully Jan Brueghel will be OK and comes out of Chester well and hopefully Calandagan comes - that will make a proper race and it will be exciting for everyone to see what is going to happen, won't it?
"We want all the big horses to turn up on those big days, then everyone can have an opinion and the talking will stop then."
