Leopardstown Derby Trial: Atomic Jones headlines entries

Ger Lyons’ unbeaten Atomic Jones is among 13 entries for Leopardstown’s Derby Trial Stakes on Sunday.

Previously sponsored by Derrinstown Stud, the Group Three contest has proved very informative towards Epsom in the past and enjoyed a golden spell at the turn of the century when Sinndar, Galileo and High Chaparral won in successive years before going on to Derby glory.

Atomic Jones has not been seen since winning the Champions Juvenile Stakes on Irish Champion Weekend, where the beat Aidan O’Brien’s Stone Age.

The pair could meet again, as Stone Age is one of four possibles for O’Brien who could also run Bluegrass, Shark Bay and United Nations.

Paddy Twomey’s French Claim looks a major player based on his nine-length win at Cork while Michael O’Callaghan has entered Great Max, formerly trained by Michael Bell.

Duke De Sessa, trained by Dermot Weld, Glory Daze (Andrew Oliver), Manu Et Corde and Mctigue (Jim Bolger) and Good Heavens and Swan Bay (Joseph O’Brien) and complete the field.

O’Brien said: “I will run Swan Bay as long as the ground isn’t soft. He will have improved for his seasonal debut over course and distance (in the Ballysax) but does need better ground.”

Elsewhere at Leopardstown on Sunday, the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia may kick off his season in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes. Aidan O’Brien’s charge enjoyed Group 2 glory last season and was placed at the highest level. The five-year-old heads the current field of 13 runners for the €50,000 heat this weekend. Irish Champion Weekend winner Real Appeal may return to the scene of his Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile Stakes triumph for Jessica Harrington and owner Zhang Yuesheng, while the very progressive Raadobarg could bid to continue his fantastic start of the season for Johnny Murtagh. The four-year-old claimed the Irish Lincoln on the opening weekend of the Flat season and backed that up in good style at Tipperary last time out. The Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes has attracted a total of 15 entries, headed by the Group 1 runner-up Agartha for Joseph O’Brien. The Scott Heider-owned daughter of Caravaggio was second on debut this season to Homeless Songs in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and holds entries for the Irish 1,000 Guineas as well as the Irish Oaks. “Agartha is an intended runner in the Cornelscourt Stakes. She’s come out of her first run of the year well,” said her trainer. “We were delighted with her run in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown at the beginning of April, when she was only headed late on and was a close second. “This race has been the plan since then and we’re looking forward to it.” Another Irish Champions Weekend winner in the running to return to Leopardstown on Sunday is the Ger Lyons-trained Panama Red while further depth is added to the Cornelscourt Stakes by recent maiden winners Princess Olly (Adrian Murray), Suwappu (Darren Bunyan) and Suwayra (Dermot Weld). Sunday will also see Leopardstown play host to the Fund A New Home For Festina Lente Handicap. Festina Lente is Ireland’s top equine and horticultural learning charity, known across the racing industry for its outstanding work in the field of equine assisted learning for those with special needs through a wide range of equine assisted learning programmes and are fundraising to secure the purchase of Belfield House and lands in Kilpedder, County Wicklow to facilitate an essential move and expansion. Tim Husbands, CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse said: “We are really excited to be back racing on Sunday with some quality Group 3 action. There are many familiar faces among the entries with a number of horses who made their mark at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend and I’ve no doubt that we will see a number of future Group 1 winners at Leopardstown this weekend and possibly horses who will be back with us for Irish Champions Weekend in September.”