Roderic O'Connor out to be crowned French Derby king

Roderic O'Connor can deliver recordbreaking Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien his first Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) here on Sunday. The 41-year-old Irishman has not enjoyed much luck in this race but it is a sign of his confidence in Roderic O'Connor that he is his sole representative, as normally O'Brien sends several runners. He has always thought a lot of his colt and his confidence was not shaken even after a poor showing in the English 2000 Guineas in May when he finished 11th of 13 - and indeed he came out a fortnight later and won the Irish equivalent in fine style. He was ridden that day by O'Brien's teenage son Joseph - collecting his first classic win - but on Sunday he has been entrusted to 2009 British champion jockey Ryan Moore. O'Brien - who took his Group One tally to 182 with St Nicholas Abbey in the Coronation Cup on Friday - said that he has no fears over Roderic O'Connor handling the extra 1/4 mile in the Jockey Club compared to the mile of the Guineas. "He's in good form and and we always thought that he would definitely get a 1 1/4 miles," said O'Brien, who in 2001 broke the world record for Group One winners with 23 only for the late American trainer Bobby Frankel to break that mark with 25 in 2005. "We would be hopeful and I am looking forward to seeing him run." Roderic O'Connor - named after a former King of Irish province Connacht - will face 15 rivals including French 2,000 Guineas winner, Tin Horse. In a nice contrast to the resources at O'Brien's disposal Tin Horse is trained by provincial trainer Didier Guillemin, who celebrated his first ever group winner with his stable star at Longchamp in May. He will again be the mount of veteran two-time Arc de Triomphe winning jockey Thierry Jarnet, who at 44 shows no signs of his powers diminishing and registered his 2000th career winner in late May. Both he and the horse's owner 85-year-old Marquesa de Moratalla decided to skip taking on unbeaten English 2000 Guineas champion Frankel at Royal Ascot later this month in preference to attempting to emulate Lope de Vega's French 2000 Guineas/Derby double last year. "There is a lot of money on offer in this race and it's a good race for him," the Marquesa's racing manager Gilles Forien said. "He's in tip top shape, he's a very good horse and he will go well. Also for his trainer it is wonderful because nothing like this has happened to him before." For Guillemin it is indeed a new adventure after 16 years of training in the south west of France mainly for the Marquesa, for whom he rode when he was a professional jockey. "I am indeed fortunate to have had the faith and the loyalty of such a lady as the Marquesa," said the 46-year-old. "Hopefully this is now being repaid." Another English 2000 Guineas failure Casamento also bids to redeem himself and show that he can return to his top class two-year-old form where he landed two prestigious group races for Irish trainer Mick Halford. However, sadly for Halford as is often the case Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum switched him from his colours for those of the Godolphin Operation meaning he is now trained by the young and fast rising Mahmood Al-Zarooni, who is outshining long-time number one Saeed bin Suroor.