Weld plans Curragh workout for Casual Conquest as vibes look good for Derby

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The impressive winner of the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial is 3-1 ante-post favourite even though he is not yet entered. A £75,000 supplementary entry fee must be paid next week but the vibes are beginning to look positive for an Epsom appearance.

Casual approach: Trainer Dermot Weld is eyeing a Derby appearance for Casual Conquest

Weld also conceded that filly Chinese White, who he had previously said was unlikely to run in the Oaks, is now a possible starter.

His plans will be music to the ears of the Epsom executive. The cast list for the pair of Classics has needed a boost.

The stellar name in the line-up, of course, would be Henrythenavigator, who completed the 2,000 Guineas double for Aidan O'Brien here on Saturday when beating arch-rival New Approach, who was unable to cope with the firm ground. For the first time, Ladbrokes quote him for the Derby at 5-1.

There will be a summit meeting involving the Ballydoyle brains trust this week to thrash out a strategy but owner John Magnier admitted his heart was telling him to take a chance and unleash the super fast colt in the mile and a half test.

Magnier said: "Epsom is where it is all decided. That's what he was bred to do. He's out of a Sadler's Wells mare and Kingmambo (his sire) has bred a winner of a St Leger. So you can't stay for sure that he wouldn't stay."

Guineas weekend was a rich harvest for O'Brien and his Coolmore backers. His Coronation Stakes-bound Halfway To Heaven (13-2), the mount of Seamus Heffernan, won yesterday's 1,000 Guineas in a scramble of a finish where the first four were seperated by little over half a length, while Mick Channon's Nahoodh was a disappointing seventh.

A third Group One was delivered by Duke Of Marmalade and Johnny Murtagh in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. He now goes for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.