St Nic Derby number one

Aidan O'Brien is content to let St Nicholas Abbey do the talking in the Investec Derby at Epsom on June 5.

Much was expected of the Racing Post Trophy winner when he was sent off the even-money market leader for the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, but he could manage no better than a one-paced sixth.

However, he retained Derby favouritism after that reverse and those behind him at the all-powerful Ballydoyle empire have not lost faith.

The trainer said: "He was a highly rated two-year-old and you dream that the ability is still there.

"He has always been the number one contender and nothing has changed about that.

"I will let him defend himself. I am not trying to blow him up or hype him - I will let him show you.

"I say watch him. I hope he gets to Epsom in good shape and we can enjoy watching him.

"He has to stand up and do it, but he has to be forgiven for what happened in the Guineas."

Despite being bred for middle distances, O'Brien was encouraged by St Nicholas Abbey's homework over shorter trips in advance of the Guineas.

And such was the speed he showed on the gallops, O'Brien admits the son of Montjeu may have been slightly undercooked for the first Classic of the season.

He said: "I didn't want to destroy him by training him too hard and he has come on nicely for the run.

"He had the last week off and we will start building him up again as there is a month to the race.

"He is in a good place to go to Epsom but perhaps he was too sharp on the day at Newmarket. He was ready to run a hard mile and it wasn't a hard mile.

"He jumped at Newmarket and he jumped handy. Frankie Dettori's horse (Al Zir) bumped him early on and he went into fifth gear after that and ran fresh.

"He has always been very natural and we have always felt that all we could do is to spoil him. He doesn't take much training and has a very strong mind.

"He has to step up, but I think it is in there. It was circumstance that beat him at Newmarket.

"I was not worried about the trip going there as his times had been as good as all of the good milers we have had, and he was doing it easily - on the bridle.

"That could have been his undoing and if I had asked more of him then he might not have been so fresh.

"I would have no problem dropping him back to a mile if I knew it was going to be a strongly-run mile."

St Nicholas Abbey is just one of a clutch of possible runners in the Derby for O'Brien, with Midas Touch proving a welcome winner of the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial on Sunday afternoon after a slow start to the month for the yard.

"We are just starting to come out of the jungle and the horses are just starting to come to hand," added O'Brien.

"If that is the case then great as there are a lot of good races coming up."

While O'Brien has not saddled a Derby winner since High Chaparral in 2002, stable jockey Johnny Murtagh scored in 2005 aboard Motivator and has also ridden Sinndar and the aforementioned High Chaparral to victory.

Murtagh was gushing in his praise of St Nicholas Abbey after the Racing Post Trophy, and he also has not given up on his possible Derby mount.

He said: "He won the Racing Post Trophy without any hype and he is potentially the best I have ridden.

"If we get him there on the day then he can be up there with the best."

O'Brien's other Derby runners have yet to be finalised but he is likely to field another large team after being responsible for six of the 12 runners last year.

"Mikhail Glinka had a foot bruise which delayed him and held him up. He is in at Epsom but we will see how we go," O'Brien stated.

"We were delighted with Midas Touch and he has come out of the race well and eaten up.

"Viscount Nelson is in the Dante, but it has yet to be decided if he runs. He is in at Epsom and if he misses the Dante he could go for the Irish Guineas.

"Fencing Master is in the Irish Guineas and he is a horse who looks like he will get further than a mile - Epsom is still a possible.

"At First Sight is well and will go straight to Epsom while Jan Vermeer has been fine since his day out at the Curragh.

"He has the option of going to the Irish Guineas and then to Epsom. If he misses the Irish Guineas then he could go straight to the French Derby so he has a lot of options at the moment.

"Cape Blanco nicked the back of a heel on Sunday and is wearing bandages, but he seemed fine today and the plan is to run in the Dante."