Westover, Tuesday Battle in Irish Derby

Colin Keane says he feels sorry for Rob Hornby missing out on riding major contender Westover  but cannot hide his excitement at partnering the luckless Cazoo Derby In Memory of Lester Piggott (G1) third as he chases a first Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) triumph.

A three-time Irish champion jockey who plundered two Curragh group 1s for owner Juddmonte aboard Siskin , Keane's vast experience at the Kildare track was credited as the reason behind Hornby being jocked off the Ralph Beckett-trained colt.

Westover met significant traffic problems when last seen in the Derby. With Epsom one-two Desert Crown  and Hoo Ya Mal  absent from the Curragh line-up, the son of Frankel  is clearly the standout colt in Saturday's €1 million prize, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free.

However, with a mark of 116, he is officially rated one pound inferior to Cazoo Oaks (G1) heroine Tuesday , who also benefits from a three-pound sex allowance.

Keane said: "It's obviously not nice for Rob and I really do feel sorry for him, but I'm so grateful to Juddmonte for putting their faith in me.

"Westover looks like a lovely colt, and he was the one who caught your eye in the Derby at Epsom with the way he was finishing. He hit the line hard and it was a big run from him."

He added: "The Irish Derby is a huge race. When you're growing up the Derby at Epsom was always the race you wanted to win but your home Derby is definitely next on the list. It's brilliant to have such a nice ride in the race, and I can't wait for it."

Tuesday Bids to Join Elite Group of Irish Derby Heroines

Nobody has claimed the Irish Derby more times than Aidan O'Brien, but now he bids to do something he has never done before—win the race with a filly.

Just three fillies have managed to win the Irish Derby in the last 122 years and Oaks star Tuesday is poised to become the first since Balanchine in 1994, with only four fillies having attempted to follow suit since Qualify, trained by O'Brien, fared best of those challengers when finishing a well-held sixth in the 2015 running.

The Ballydoyle maestro is seeking win number 15 in the Classic, while Ryan Moore will be hoping to end his Irish Derby hoodoo at the 10th attempt. He has been beaten on six favorites in the race.

O'Brien said: "Tuesday seems to be in good form since Epsom. She hasn't done an awful lot since then but she seems to be well."

He added: "We were always looking forward to stepping her up in trip—we had felt that she was going to be a middle-distance filly—and we were delighted with what she did at Epsom."