Ballydoyle could run three in Coronation Cup and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket

Aidan O'Brien could be triple-handed in both the Coronation Cup and Qipco 1,000 Guineas next week at Newmarket, with Investec Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck among a host of Ballydoyle stars preparing to get their seasons belatedly under way.

The Ballydoyle master stressed that plans are very much fluid at present, but the Epsom hero is a potential runner in the top-level contest, which has been rerouted to Newmarket, along with Sir Dragonet and Broome.

"It's very possible that one, two or three of those could run," said O'Brien.

Of Anthony Van Dyck, he added: "We thought running on soft ground at Ascot [in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes] wasn't the right thing to do and he paid for it.

Anthony Van Dyck: ended his 2019 campaign with a below-par showing in Hong KongCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He's in good form now and we're happy with his work. The plan is to keep him on good ground – he's doing everything right at the moment."

Moyglare Stud Stakes scorer Love is in contention to start her season in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, while unexposed Galileo filly Peaceful and highly rated maiden So Wonderful are also in the mix for the opening fillies' Classic of the year.

"We've always liked Love," said O'Brien. "She's a very straightforward filly and we always thought she'd stay further than a mile.

"She ran well at Newmarket [third in bet365 Fillies' Mile] when she went there with a view to coming back and running in the Guineas."

Love: showed an excellent attitude to win the Moyglare Stud Stakes last SeptemberCredit: Patrick McCann

He added: "Peaceful won a maiden at Thurles before finishing second in a Listed race at Newmarket towards the back-end of the season in soft ground.

"She's a possible along with So Wonderful, although the lads haven't settled on what they're going to do yet."

The Tipperary-based outfit have been bolstered by the confirmation that brilliant mare Magical will remain in training this season, having initially been pencilled in to be covered by No Nay Never.

Juddmonte International Stakes star Japan also remains a part of the powerful team as a four-year-old.

"Magical is back in training and I think she'll be entered in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, but it's possible that she might not start until the Pretty Polly," said O'Brien.

"We were lucky that the lads agreed they would leave her for the year. She's done very well physically and is only five, so we're just delighted. She wasn't covered by No Nay Never."

Magical: could make her seasonal reappearance in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the CurraghCredit: Edward Whitaker

Of Japan and his brother Mogul, as short as 15-2 for the Investec Derby, O'Brien said: "We're thinking of going to the Derrinstown at Leopardstown with Mogul and Japan could go for the Prince of Wales's Stakes, but obviously things could change."

The Longines Irish Champions Weekend-winning juvenile of last season is the shortest-priced Derby candidate in O'Brien's care, but the master trainer is preparing for another typically strong Epsom challenge on July 4.

He said of his less-prominent Epsom contenders: "Amhran Na Bhfiann is a possible, but he hasn't run so we don't know where he is. Arthur's Kingdom, Mythical and Nobel Prize are other possibles.

"There are other maidens that would have been out at this stage, but we haven't run them. They're going to have to get out somewhere. We'll start as many of them as early as we can the first week racing starts back and see what happens.

Mogul: showed his class in the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes last SeptemberCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"It's going to be very different this year because we can't go to Britain for trials. it's probably going to be a little bit limited with trials here too because after the first week it'll be getting close [to the early Classics]."

He added: "A lot will be up in the air and it wouldn't be a surprise if very unexposed horses ran in the Derby with exposed horses if that happens here."

Exciting three-year-old Armory, who finished ahead of leading 2,000 Guineas player Arizona when chasing home Pinatubo in last year's National Stakes at the Curragh, could lead the line for Ballydoyle in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas on June 12.

"Armory would be a strong possibility," said O'Brien. "Innisfree had a little setback in the last couple of days so he might be on the quiet list for a couple of weeks."

He added: "Monarch Of Egypt is a possible, but we're not convinced how far he'll stay. We thought he could be a Jersey horse, and if he's going to go to Ascot it might just get a little bit close running him in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

"Vatican City is a brother to Gleneagles and we're very happy with him. He's a little heavy still and is a possible for the Irish 2,000 Guineas to start off and see where we go with him. He won nicely at Dundalk last year and we think he's a horse to look forward to."

Armory: may begin his 2020 season in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 GuineasCredit: Patrick McCann

Former St Leger scorer Kew Gardens, last seen getting the better of Stradivarius in a marvellous duel on Qipco British Champions Day last season, is preparing to go straight to the Ascot Gold Cup, but does not appear to have been helped by the delay to racing in recent months.

O'Brien said: "We were hoping to get a run into him at Leopardstown or Navan and it's just all been a little bit of a mess for him. We had him wound up very early this year to go to Dubai, then the plan was to give him a little rest before coming back for Ascot.

"We've just probably messed him around a little bit and he just went a little bit quiet on us. He's slowly coming back and we're hoping to get him to Ascot."

O'Brien also said that Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Sovereign is being brought along gradually for a largely autumn-based campaign.

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