13 thoroughbreds stood their ground at the 5 day confirmation stage for the 2009 Epsom Derby on Monday.

Aidan O’Brien pruned his contingent for Saturday’s race at Epsom, leaving 6 racehorses in the field, including popular antepost bets Bear Island, Fame and Glory and Rip van Winkle.

The total number of Irish racehorses set to compete in the race stands at 8, and includes 2,000 Guineas winner Sea the Stars. Also hailing from the Emerald Isle is Gan Amhras, the only entry fielded by last year’s Derby winning trainer, Jim Bolger.

Brian Meehan will give the home team a boost after confirming Crowded House, the Dante Stakes second place finisher behind Bear Island, for the 2009 Epsom Derby.

“Crowded House has been confirmed for the Derby this morning, but he will also be confirmed tomorrow for the French Derby,” Meehan said on his website on Monday.

“He worked very well this morning, but we want to continue to monitor him for the next couple of days, consider both races and then decide what to do.

“The issue we have is that he missed a week after the Dante. We want to take as much time as possible to make sure we do what is best for the horse. We shall keep everybody informed as to the situation during the course of the week.”

With 14 out of the 20 entries in the forthcoming Epsom Derby hailing from Ireland, the Irish appear destined to add another Derby title to the 5 they won in the past decade.

More than half of the Irish entries in the race hail from the Ballydoyle stables of Aidan O’Brien, who will field nine entries in the race, including two Derby trial winners. The trainer is, however, expected to narrow his entries down to six over the next week.

“Everything we have left in are possibles. They all came through their trials well and deserve to have their chance,” O’Brien told the BBC. “If the ground is safe, we’d love to have plenty of runners. Obviously the Derby is a very important race and we are very lucky to have such a nice few horses this year.”

John Oxx’s race favourite, Sea the Stars, also hails from Ireland. John Gosden’s Gan Amhras, a favourite to pick up the pieces of O’Brien and Oxx fail to score, is yet another of the Irish contenders in the race.

William Haggas is arguably the strongest of the British trainers in the race, and will field Dee Stakes winner, South Easter, in the Epsom Derby on the 6th of June.

Aidan O’Brien is playing his cards close to his chest ahead of the running of the 2009 Epsom Derby next weekend.

The Irish trainer has such a strong team headed into the race that some are predicting that he may become the first flat racing trainer in history to see his entries clean out the top 5 positions in an English Classic.

Prime Ballydoyle contenders for the Epsom Derby include Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner, Fame And Glory,  Dante Stakes winner Black Bear Island, Lingfield Derby trial winner Age Of Aquarius, Chester Vase winner Golden Sword and 2000 Guineas fourth-palced finisher Rip Van Winkle.

O’Brien is stalling on naming which of his thoroughbreds will go for glory at the Epsom Derby. The trainer has pronounced himself happy with the form of all his contenders, but is set to make punters wait longer for the confirmation of his Derby team.

“The ones that didn’t win their trials still ran well so it’s so far so good,” O’Brien told At the Races. “We’ll just see what will happen in the next week to 10 days. Everyone is saying that Fame And Glory was the most impressive winner and obviously we see the same as everybody else sees.”

John Oxx, trainer of surprise 2,000 Guineas winner Sea the Stars, has admitted that his stable star may lack the staying power to score a Classics double at the 1,4 mile Epsom Derby.

The 2,000 Guineas champion showed blistering pace as he took the first Classic of the year, but his Achilles heel may be his lack of experience over distances of greater than a mile. Oxx says that in terms of breeding he wouldn’t expect his Derby entry to last out the trip at Epsom.

“Everyone said he is a half-brother to Galileo, and therefore a Derby horse, but I knew he was speedy and his pedigree wasn’t that of a sure-fire stayer,” Oxx was quoted as saying by the Press Association. “I’d always had the Guineas in mind and he’s no more than a 50-50 chance of staying the Derby distance.”

Nevertheless, Oxx does expected Sea the Stars to try his best at Derby, and believes his horse has the character and ability to be able to excel at the biggest races.

“He’s a real tough horse, fine and big - you wouldn’t find fault with him at all. Time will tell, but he looks to have all the temperament qualities you’d want for the Derby.”

“We’d had to rush him a bit for the Guineas, so I’m happy it’s a five-week interval before Epsom. That said, he’s a very fresh sort and you wouldn’t want to be giving him many days off.”

“He cantered on the Wednesday after the Guineas and he looks well in himself. We never souped him up as a two-year-old, and he’s still laid-back, but he does enough.”

Aidan O’Brien will go into the 2009 Epsom Derby with a powerful contingent of thoroughbreds.

The Irish trainer may contribute up to half the field as he goes in search of a  third Derby win, and his entries will include a number of thoroughbreds who have excelled in the early-season Epsom Derby trials.

Amongst his more promising entries are Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial

winner, Fame And Glory, and Dante Stakes winner Black Bear Island. Also in contention are Age Of Aquarius and Rip Van Winkle.

“We’ll just see what will happen in the next week or 10 days,” O’Brien told At The Races. “Everyone is saying that Fame And Glory was the most impressive winner and obviously we see the same as everybody else sees.”

“Rip Van Winkle ran in the Guineas and we were very happy with his run. He had an interrupted preparation for the Guineas and ran a real good race. Since then he pulled off a shoe and was a little bit tender for a few days but other than that everything was fine with him.”

“He’s a very balanced horse with a lot of natural speed. He’s got a great stride and is a very determined horse, so you wouldn’t think there should be any problems with Epsom.”

Trainer John Oxx has booked a date with the Epsom Derby for his 2,000 Guineas winner, Sea the Stars.

The surprise winner at Newmarket is the short odds favourite to scoop the richest prize in British thoroughbred racing in June, and could become the first racehorse in two decades to claim the Classics double of 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.

“We have discussed it, and the Derby is the plan. When things calm down we will talk about it again, but I see no reason to change,” said Oxx.

“There is a question about stamina, as there is with any Guineas winner going to the Derby. It is a big prize, it’s a great race and to win it with a Guineas winner is a rare enough things these days. It’s a prize worth pursuing.”

“The horse is in good form. He was fresh and well after the race. He ate all his feed and didn’t seem to know that he had a race. We are delighted with him - it’s so far, so good.”

Sea the Stars biggest rival could come in the form of the Aidan O’Brien trained Fame and Glory, who impressed on the weekend by winning the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes.

It was a case of third time lucky for New Approach on Saturday, as he stunned the crowd at Epsom to take the 2008 Vodafone Epsom Derby.

New Approach’s performance caused a stir for several reasons, not least the fact that Jim Bolger had indicated that New Approach would not be running in at the Derby before capitulating at the last moment and declaring his runner for Saturday’s Classic.

Although a few eyebrows were raised by Bolger’s indecisive preparation for the race, few expected New Approach to excel given the horse’s recent failures at the Guineas.

However, New Approach appears to have learnt from his two losses to Henrythenavigator and put in a masterful run over Epsom Downs, taking the lead from Sir Michael Stoute’s Tartan Bearerin a late surge and winning the race by half a length.

Race favourite Casual Conquest did not disappoint entirely, coming home in 3rd place and paying out each way bets to thousands of relieved punters.

After the race Bolger indicated that New Approach is virtually certain to make an appearance in the Irish Derby, before setting out to conquer the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

For more information on upcoming Classics, visit the Irish Oaks site.

A field of 17 runners has been declared for the running of the Epsom Derby this weekend. The field includes a bumper crop of top Irish runners, many of whom rank amongst the favourites for this weekend’s renewal of the most prestigious Classic in flat racing.

Dermit Weld’s Casual Conquest looks certain to stay at the helm of Epsom Derby betting markets going into the race, and at odds of 7/2 looks like both the bookmakers’ and punters’ pick for winner.

Dermot Weld finds himself in the fortunate position of also fielding the second priced runner at the Epsom Derby with Curtain Call priced 4/1 by William Hill to take honours in the race.

The prices of both of the market frontrunners are based on their ability over longer distances, with both having won races over distances greater than 1 mile 2 furlongs.

Aidan O’Brien’s five Epsom Derby entries make up the bulk of Irish entries into the race. King of Rome is O’Brien’s most promising entry into the race, and looks like one of the best bets available at the Epsom Derby with odds of 12/1 with William Hill.

Jim Bolger fields the 3rd priced runner at the 2008 Epsom Derby, with New Approach looking to prove that his class will come through over longer distances, after twice being pipped to the post in the Guineas.

King of Rome is rapidly emerging as the favourite for this weekend’s Classic highlight, the Vodafone Epsom Derby. King of Rome was chosen by veteran Derby jockey Johnny Murtagh on a day that saw his odds contract from 20-1 to 12-1 with William Hill.

King of Rome will be running for Aidan O’Brien, who will field another four runners in the season’s biggest Classic.

O’Brien confirmed his runners and their riders at a press conference yesterday, saying: “Johnny will be on King Of Rome, Mick rides Frozen Fire and David McCabe will be on Bashkirov. Seamie Heffernan and Colm O’Donoghue will be our other Derby jockeys but it will be tomorrow before we decide which of them rides Washington Irving or Alessandro Volta.”

Meanwhile Jim Bolger has continued to dither about which of his horses will be appearing in the Classics this year, making a late statement that New Approach would be running at the 2008 Epsom Derby after having categorically denied that his runner would be seen in a hundred mile radius of Epsom Downs on Derby day.

New Approach finished as runner-up at both of the season’s early Classics, the 2,000 Guineas and the Irish 2,000 Guineas, losing out to Henrythenavigator on both occasions. Bolger had claimed that he’d prefer to run New Approach at the Irish Derby in two weeks rather than risk his runner on the firm ground at Epsom Downs racecourse.

Aidan O’Brien has given the Epsom Derby a boost by indicating that his English and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Henrythenavigator is likely to run in the biggest Classic of the year in just over two weeks time.

The race suffered a minor blow when Jim Bolger announced that Irish 2,000 Guineas favourite, New Approach, would not be running in the 2008 Epsom Derby. Bolger’s decision is somewhat bizarre given that he allowed New Approach to be declared for the Derby and then blasted the Curragh turf in the aftermath of the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Bolger’s antics aside, New Approach’s withdrawal pales into insignificance given indications that the thoroughbred who beat him with ease at Curragh will be running at Epsom Downs in June.

Aidan O’Brien had initially appeared reluctant to push Henrythenavigator over longer distances, but is reported to have changed his mind after witnessing his runner trounce his opponents in the Irish 2,000 Guineas with room to spare.

Another high-profile thoroughbred looks set to miss out on the action at Epsom Downs, with the Godolphin stud indicating that Ibn Khaldun will skip the Epsom Derby in favour of a run at the Irish Derby alongside co-defector New Approach.

Godolphin have indicated that Rio De La Plata will represent them in the race instead.