O'Brien Set For Seventh National Stakes at Curragh On Sunday The €300,000 Laing O'Rourke National Stakes (Group One) is the feature event at the Curragh on Sunday and trainer Aidan O'Brien has high hopes of winning this race for the seventh time with Holy Roman Emperor. Successful in the Railway Stakes and the Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh earlier this season, Holy Roman Emperor will be attempting this seven furlong trip for the first time and is likely to start favourite to succeed. This race has been won in the past by the likes of subsequent English 2,000 Guineas winners, Refuse To Bend, Dubawi and George Washington in three of the last four years and Sunday's contest has also attracted the well regarded Teofilo, from the Jim Bolger stable. This son of Galileo is unbeaten on his only three outings to date and last time landed the Futurity Stakes at the Curragh in August. His trainer believes he is possibly the best colt he has ever trained which is high praise indeed coming from a man who trained St Jovite to win the 1992 Budweiser Irish Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. Six horses have been declared for Sunday's feature event with trainer John Oxx, successful in this race with Manntari in 1993 and Sinndar six years later, relying on Eyshal.
