Eagle Mountain headlines Irish Derby

Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's EAGLE MOUNTAIN (Rock of

Gibraltar [Ire]) was the key name among the 12 engaged in Sunday's Irish Derby

(Ire-G1) at The Curragh. The Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) runner-up was one of a quintet

of colts left in by Aidan O'Brien, which includes SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (Galileo

[Ire]) and YELLOWSTONE (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), in a field swelled by the

addition of last Friday's King Edward VII S. (Eng-G2) winner BOSCOBEL (Halling).

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's homebred, supplemented Tuesday, received

an upbeat bulletin from trainer Mark Johnston.

"He's very well and is in great shape," Johnston told PA Sport. "I'm very

pleased with him, and quite amazed how he's come out of Ascot."

Eagle Mountain, who is set to be ridden by Kieren Fallon, could meet a strong

French challenge after trainers Andre Fabre and Alain de Royer-Dupre confirmed the entry of Peter Savill and Susan Magnier's Prix de

l'Avre hero ROYAL AND REGAL (Sadler's Wells) and His Highness the Aga Khan's

SHAMDINAN (Dr Fong), respectively.

The latter, third in the June 3 Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-G1) at Chantilly, was

confirmed on course for this 12-furlong classic by the owner/breeder's Racing

Manager Pat Downes.

"He was doing his best work at the closing stages of the Jockey-Club, so we

feel a mile and a half and some juice in the ground should help him," Downes

told Racing Post. "Christophe Soumillon will travel over to ride him on

Sunday."

Peter Chapple-Hyam, trainer of the Derby hero Authorized (Montjeu [Ire]), has

left in Abbey Horse Racing and Breeding LTD's Sandown Classic Trial (Eng-G3)

runner-up STRIVING STORM (Stormin Fever), while Sir Michael Stoute still has

Saeed Suhail's Hampton Court S. second AL SHEMALI (Medicean) engaged. Trainer

Kevin Prendergast has confirmed Iona Equine Syndicate's Ballysax S. (Ire-G3)

winner MORES WELLS (Sadler's Wells), and Dermot Weld is set to run Dr. Ronan

Lambe's Leopardstown maiden winner PRINCE ERIK (Indian Ridge).

Trainer Marcus Tregoning announced that Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's

Epsom Derby third Aqaleem (Sinndar) will sidestep the Classic in favor of a

program geared toward the September 15 St. Leger (Eng-G1) at Doncaster.

"We considered supplementing Aqaleem for the Curragh, but the ground there

will probably be softer than ideal, and we've decided on an alternative program

in the lead-up to Doncaster," he told Racing Post.

With rain forecast later in the week at the track, the going description of

good to yielding given Tuesday could be the official description come Sunday.