Alamshar fails to impress Leading Epsom Derby contender Alamshar failed to impress in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown yesterday when narrowly holding off Aidan O´Brien´s second string The Great Gatsby. He will need to show dramatic improvement in the four weeks before his big date on June 7 if he is to follow in Sinndar´s footsteps, and unimpressed bookmakers eased his price in the ante-post betting for the Classic. It was the Aidan O´Brien-trained 9-1 shot The Great Gatsby who gave Alamshar most to do, proving a tough nut to crack at the finish. Having been headed just over a furlong out by the winner, The Great Gatsby rallied with determination and went down by just a head to the 8-15 favourite. The pair finished two and a half lengths ahead of O´Brien´s apparent first string, Brian Boru. 'I am not disappointed at all given the way his preparation has gone this week,' said Oxx, who reflected on the problems caused by a small abscess on the colt´s near-hind leg, which appeared during the week. 'On Thursday we weren´t going to run at all, but by Friday things were looking better,' he explained. 'I came here half-expecting to get beaten, but thinking he might just scramble home, and that is what he has done. He scrambled. 'He didn´t miss any work but he just wasn´t striding out fully and it was obvious things weren´t quite right. 'He will need to improve for this run if he is going to win the Derby, but there is every chance he will do. 'Please God, we will just have a clearer run on the way to his next race than we did this week. 'I couldn´t compare him with Sinndar, although Sinndar did only win this race by the same sort of distance.' Aidan O´Brien refused to be downheartened by the performance of Brian Boru who, having headed the ante-post Derby betting through the winter, is now starting to plummet down the lists. 'I don´t think he ran a bad race at all,' he said. 'He was fresh and keen and the pace was a bit slow for him. 'Obviously I am pleased with The Great Gatsby, and they will both be considered for Epsom. 'Alberto Giacometti ran well in France (third in the Prix Lupin) and he is still a possible for Epsom, as is Hold That Tiger, who didn´t run his true race at Newmarket. He is on a break now but it is possible he will go for the Derby. 'Just in the last few days they are starting to run well again.' O´Brien and Oxx may have been satisfied with what they saw, but the bookmakers were hardly dazzled. Sagitta 2000 Guineas winner Refuse To Bend hardened as favourite for Epsom and is now as short as 9-4 with William Hill, who along with Ladbrokes offer Alamshar at 9-2. Ladbrokes, interestingly, kept Brian Boru at 6-1 as O´Brien juggles his options for the big race. Oxx and Johnny Murtagh would have fancied their chances of a double in the following Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial, where they saddled Flamelet. But Kevin Prendergast struck with 11-2 chance Cat Belling, who scored by a head from Flamelet in a driving finish. Murtagh lodged an objection over alleged interference at the hands of the winner, but the stewards left the placings unaltered. Prendergast also saddled favourite Rainbows For All in the race, but that filly trailed home last and will miss the Curragh Classic for which this race was a warm-up. 'The rain has come just in time for her,' he said of the winner. 'She needs an ease in the ground as she is a big old filly - she looks like a chaser. She has been working well and we might as well go for the Guineas with her.' O´Brien´s team did at least enjoy one success as expensive purchase Handel ran out an impressive winner of the mile-and-a-half Carrickmines Maiden. The Sadler´s Wells colt scored as an odds-on favourite should, beating Rayshan by four and a half lengths. 'He was still very green when he straightened up and if he keeps progressing then I am sure he will turn into a lovely horse,' said the trainer. 'We will look at the Silver Stakes, a Listed race over a mile and a quarter at the Guineas meeting.'
