The eyes of the racing world will be fixed firmly on Epsom this weekend for what promises to be the most open Derby of recent decades. Throughout the spring, the mile and a half division has looked an especially fluid one and a series of inconclusive trials means that the most coveted of classic of all has seldom looked as confusing.

Aidan O’Brien will once more mount a strong challenge in his bid to join the late Vincent O’Brien as the most successful Irish trainer in Derby history. It would appear that Ballydoyle’s chief hope is US Army Ranger, but he will have to better his Chester Vase triumph over stablemate Port Douglas who emerged from that race as the best horse at the weights.

Indeed the strongest trial effort posted by one of O’Brien’s three-year-olds was probably that of Deauville who was only just denied by the leading English hope Wings Of Desire in the Dante Stakes at York.

In a race that, remarkably, looks as though it won’t contain a Group 1 winner, Wings Of Desire sets the standard by virtue of his Dante triumph. Then there is the French colt Cloth Of Stars who has gone unbeaten in two starts in his homeland this year.

Fine prospect

In short, one could make a case for a host of runners at this stage but the one that does appeal is Jim Bolger’s Moonlight Magic. This Cape Cross colt, whose dam is an Oaks-placed half-sister to Sea The Stars and Galileo, looked a fine prospect when winning both his starts late last season and he bounced back from a below par reappearance to win the Derrinstown at Leopardstown last month.

He will need to better that form by some margin at Epsom but he certainly has room to do so. Bolger has already won the Derby with New Approach, while it is also worth recalling how his representatives have previously excelled themselves at Epsom.

At the time the brilliant St Jovite produced much the best effort of his career to take second in the 1992 Derby. The following year Blue Judge was second at an incredible 150/1, while Jet Ski Lady’s 50/1 triumph in the 1991 Oaks further emphasises the point.

On the domestic racing front, Naas staged a quality flat card on Sunday where centre stage went to Joe Murphy’s Only Mine who bolted up the Group 3 Lacken Stakes. This speedy daughter of Pour Moi dramatically reversed recent form with the favourite Washington DC and this was quite a way for Murphy to get off the mark for the season. Afterwards, the trainer pointed the way towards a Group 1 assault in France later in the year and that looks a far from fanciful aspiration given how she dominated this field.

Sadly the Naas card missed one of headline acts when Psychedelic Funk missed the Rochestown Stakes but it did unearth another potentially high-class juvenile in Cuff who won the Coolmore Stud EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes with some authority. This Galileo filly was only a short head winner of her maiden at this track two and a half weeks previously, but she has clearly progressed splendidly in the interim and was much the best on this occasion. She will line up in Royal Ascot’s Albany Stakes as one of the foremost contenders.

Elsewhere at Naas, Michael Halford took the wraps off a fine prospect in Anamba. She showed lots of promise in two starts last year and looked to be on excellent terms with herself in winning the Owenstown Stud Stakes in clear cut fashion. She will certainly improve for this reappearance and a bold showing in Ascot’s Coronation Stakes looks a distinct possibility.

Sales/ch>

With the country’s two major store sales looming large on the horizon, it was heartening to see strong demand for a number of promising Irish pointers at last week’s Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham May Sale.

With 63 of the lots changing hands, the clearance rate came in at 89 percent and the turnover of just over £3.2m represented a 30 percent progression on last year. The £50,889 average dropped by 12 points while the £40,000 median grew by the same amount.

The sale represented a tremendous triumph for Donnchadh Doyle’s Monbeg Stables who supplied the sale-topping mare Redhotfillypeppers. The £200,000 top lot won a Necarne point-to-point on her sole outing and she was snapped up by Harold Kirk to join Willie Mullins. The Monbeg draft also included the Athlacca maiden winner Secret Investor who came to Tom Malone for £175,000 while Noel Meade spent £150,000 on the Doyle-trained Bartlemy winner Super Follo.

The day’s second highest price came when the Athlacca scorer Lough Derg Spirit, who was consigned by Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables, was snapped up by Anthony Bromley for £190,000.