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Sea the Stars to aim for Irish Derby; Sariska to race at four Saturday's Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) hero SEA THE STARS (Cape Cross [Ire]) is being aimed at the Irish equivalent later this month, trainer John Oxx announced Sunday. Christopher Tsui's homebred completed the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1)-Derby double with a 1 3/4-length defeat of Fame and Glory (Montjeu [Ire]) and, ground-permitting, will be seeking a unique three-timer not achieved since Nijinsky II in 1970 at The Curragh June 28. "He stays the mile and a half well enough, and the Irish Derby (Ire-G1) is the obvious next race for him, but he's dependant on goodish ground," Oxx said. "If he didn't run there, he'd probably run in the Eclipse S. ([Eng-G1] at Sandown July 4). I would never ask a three-year-old to run on the traditional American dirt, but obviously the new surface at the Breeders' Cup is a bit more tempting. We'll have to make a decision whether we will prepare him for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe ([Fr-G1] at Longchamp October 4), but then we might have to take him out because of the ground so we might not go for it. I think you can probably rule the St Leger ([Eng-G1] at Doncaster September 12] out, but we haven't really sat down and discussed it yet. Obviously, I'll speak to the owner, but he looks like a horse who would be at home at a mile and a quarter. "While the Triple Crown is a feasible thing, he is by Cape Cross, and I think it might be stretching our luck for him to go and win the St Leger. While he probably won't meet the same class of rival there, it's a very grueling race, and I think it would be a bridge too far for him. He's won the Guineas and the Derby, which is quite a double, and any Guineas winner could probably run well in a July Cup (Eng-G1), as well. He has got that sort of level of speed." Jockey Mick Kinane had earlier echoed those sentiments when saying, "He was always in control and wanted to get on with it -- his great cruise meant it was all going a bit slow for him. I haven't ridden any horse capable of winning a Guineas and a Derby and able to carry that speed, but (Saturday) he traveled easier than he did at Newmarket. Pace is his huge forte and probably a mile and a quarter will be best, but you could come back to any trip." Meanwhile, trainer Michael Bell has revealed that Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) winner SARISKA (Pivotal) would race on in 2010. Following her head defeat of Midday (Oasis Dream [GB]) in the fillies' classic, Lady Bamford's homebred is likely to keep racing against her own sex this year. "The plan is to stay in training as a four-year-old, and that's when we'll pitch her in against the colts," Bell said. "The Irish Oaks ([Ire-G1] at The Curragh July 12) and Yorkshire Oaks ([Eng-G1] at York August 20) are the perfect races for her, but I would have no qualms dropping her back to a mile and a quarter, so the Nassau S. ([Eng-G1] at Goodwood August 1) is an option. She is a pleasure to train and a joy to be around."
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