Grand Central and Down Mexico Way Tackle Derrinstown

Aidan O´Brien will saddle both Grand Central and Down Mexico Way in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The Ballydoyle handler will be hoping his pair can follow in the footsteps of Yeats, High Chaparral and Galileo, who carried the Group Two contest back to his Tipperary base in 2004, 2002 and 2001 respectively.

Grand Central appears to be his leading Derby hope out of the two runners and is a general 20-1 shot for the blue riband after finishing runner-up to John Oxx´s Alayan on his three-year-old debut last month.

'We are running Down Mexico Way to skip along in front,' said O´Brien.

'Grand Central has improved since his run at Leopardstown and I was happy with him that day as he got tired and Kieren (Fallon) was easy on him.'

Alayan, who won two of his four starts as a juvenile, reopposes and takes another step in class after his smooth success in the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes.

His trainer said: 'I never had any expectations about him, but he is a lovely athlete.

'He impressed me when he won the Guineas trial and always saves his best for the track. He hasn´t let us down so far and goes on any ground.

'It is hard to know how good he is because he doesn´t go much at home, so we´ll find out more about him this weekend.'

Dermot Weld is responsible for Bobs Pride.

His Marju colt is unbeaten in two outings this season, with his latest success coming in the Ballysax Stakes last month.

'He is a nice progressive horse and won the Ballysax well,' said Weld. 'He put up a good performance and is a tough horse.

'I´m open-minded about the progress that he could make but if he has the class to go all of the way, he could be a sort for the Irish Derby.'

The field is completed by David Wachman´s unbeaten Fracas, who followed up a smooth maiden win with victory in the Group Three Betfred Classic Trial at Sandown, the form of which was boosted by Hattan at Chester yesterday.

? PA Sport