American regular Deauville leads Ballydoyle battalion on Churchill undercard

Ballydoyle's Kentucky Derby contender Mendelssohn will not want for familiar faces at Churchill Downs when trainer Aidan O'Brien fields three of his stablemates on the undercard – all shown live on At The Races.

Having foregone the pleasures of Newmarket for a trip to Louisville for America's most celebrated race, Ryan Moore also has the leg-up on Deauville, Seahenge and Threeandfourpence beneath the Twin Spires. All of them run on Lasix.

The well-travelled Deauville is a transatlantic regular, having won the Belmont Derby Invitational as a three-year-old in 2016, and twice getting placed in the Arlington Million.

After a respectable effort in the Earl of Sefton on his seasonal debut, the five-year-old breaks from the rail and will be fancied to play a role in the Old Forester Turf Classic (10.25pm BST), one of two Grade 1s on a richly endowed support card alongside the Humana Distaff (6.13pm BST).

"He ran well on his first start of the season when second over the same trip at Newmarket last month," said O'Brien. "We've been happy with him since and he's a tough, seasoned traveller."

Rivals for Deauville in the $500,000 contest are headed by likely favourite Beach Patrol (Chad Brown/Joel Rosario), who had the Irish visitor back in third when he landed last year's Arlington Million.

Drawn ten of ten, Beach Patrol is reappearing for the first time since being beaten half a length by Talismanic in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Queen Anne Stakes entry Yoshida (Bill Mott/Jose Ortiz) also runs.

Mendelssohn is joined in Kentucky by his regular companions Threeandfourpence and Seahenge. Threeandfourpence, last in the UAE Derby after a decent effort at Dundalk, will have his supporters in the Grade 2 American Turf (8.37pm BST) – though Breeders' Cup winner Rushing Fall would be a huge obstacle if she is diverted from her intended engagement on Friday's card.

"Threeandfourpence suffered with the kickback in the UAE Derby but has been in good form since he came back from Dubai and we think he’ll enjoy reverting to turf," said O'Brien.

Seahenge, fifth in the UAE Derby last time out after falling out of the stalls, stays on dirt for the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile (9.28pm BST) but looks to face a stiff test against hugely promising types from major stables such as National Flag (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez), Mask (Chad Brown/Javier Castellano) and Restoring Hope (Bob Baffert/Mike Smith).

Seahenge (left) won the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Seahenge was slowly away in the UAE Derby and was tailed off before staying on for fifth," said O'Brien. "He'll stay further during the season but he’s in good form and should gain some valuable experience."

Also on Saturday

Belmont Park: Westchester Stakes (Grade 3) 1m | dirt | 4yo+ (Sun 12.07am BST)

Last year's Preakness Stakes winner Cloud Computing (Chad Brown/Manny Franco) makes his first start for more than eight months since a down-the-field finish in the Travers Stakes.

Conquest Big E (DonnaHurtak/Jose Batista), who floored Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming in theGulfstream ParkHardacre Mile, is looking to claim another big scalp.

Read exclusive previews from 6pm tonight on racingpost.com