McDonogh hopeful with Dunboyne Declan McDonogh is in a unique position heading into Saturday's Racing Post Trophy. He was in the plate when Casamento was just pipped by Pathfork in the National Stakes and he partners Dunboyne Express for his boss Kevin Prendergast in Saturday's race. "They are pretty similar. Both are by Shamardal, show great heart and great toughness," he said. "It's going to be a good race and both have got great chances. They are good two-year-olds. "Dunboyne Express did a routine canter this morning. Everyone was really happy with him and he'll do his last bit of work in the morning. He leaves on Thursday for the race. We couldn't be happier with him. "He's a very uncomplicated horse and there's no great mystery about him. You can ride him anyway you want and ground doesn't really matter. "I don't think the trip will be a problem. He's not a free horse and his pedigree suggests he'll get a mile. That's a help." And McDonogh is hopeful Dunboyne Express, who is unbeaten in two starts, will have the measure of Casamento. "I think I can beat him. He's a very good horse, I rode him in the National Stakes and he just lost out by a head. He went on and won the Beresford and I was second to him on a horse of Sheikh Hamdan's (Mawaakef)," he told At The Races. "But I wouldn't swap my fella for anything. It will be close between them. They are two good horses." 11 have been declared for the contest and Aidan O'Brien, who has an excellent record in the contest, is responsible for three of the entries. They are Seville, Royal Lodge third Treasure Beach and Master Of Hounds who chased home Dewhurst runner-up Roderic O'Connor on his penultimate start. He has also got within a short-head of Dunboyne Express this season Ed Dunlop's Native Khan who bypassed the Dewhurst is also set to run. The field of 11 is completed by Dubawi Gold, Zaidan, Toolain, Karam Albaari and Titus Mills.
