Godolphin has five strong European hopes this weekend, with runners at the Curragh, Newmarket and Longchamps.
First off three-year-old Old Persian will attempt to end Godolphin’s 24-year Irish Derby wait when he backs up only two weeks after his triumph in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot.
He is one of 12 runners in this year’s Derby at the Curragh, and trainer Charlie Appleby is hopeful of a solid run from the son of Dubawi.
“He has pleased me since his win at Royal Ascot,” Appleby said.
“He is a colt with a progressive profile and the fact that the ‘win and you are in the Irish Derby’ clause was attached to the King Edward VII made us take a close look at it.”
Appleby is bidding to cap off the best month of his career after Masar’s victory in Epsom followed up with two winners at Ascot last week.
“It’s quite a quick turnaround, but we have been monitoring him closely all week, and I can report he is very well. He has eaten up, and he has regained the weight he lost running at Ascot,” the 45-year-old added.
William Buick, who won the 2015 Irish Derby on Jack Hobbs, will be aboard Old Persian once again.
Dee Ex Bee, second to Masar at Epsom, attempts to endorse the G1 Investec Derby form by again finishing ahead of Saxon Warrior, Delano Roosevelt and The Pentagon.
Across in Newmarket, six-year-old Dutch Connection runs in the G3 Criterion Stakes over seven furlongs.
The sire of Dutch Art has had two outings so far in 2018, most recently coming home fourth to another Godolphin runner D’bai in the G3 John Of Gaunt Stakes over the same distance at Haydock Park earlier this month.
He began the year by finishing a solid fourth in Newbury last month and enjoyed his biggest victory in the seven-furlong G2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood in 2016.
Trainer Charlie Hills said: “The Criterion Stakes could be the race for Dutch Connection to get back on track.
“He had a hard race in the Lockinge, which might explain why he was a bit below par in the John Of Gaunt when fourth to D’bai.
“He is fit enough and hasn’t required any strong gallops since Haydock. He is giving off the right signals.”
In France at Longchamps, Inns Of Court and Jimmy Two Times line up in the G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot over seven furlongs.
The pair, both trained by Andre Fabre, met in the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal over the same course and distance earlier this month, when Inns Of Court finishing runner-up with Jimmy Two Times a neck further back in third.
