The Epsom form received a boost at Royal Ascot last Friday through the Queen's Vase victory of his stablecompanion Mahler and another Ballydoyle inmate Soldier Of Fortune, who finished fifth at Epsom, is also expected to run at the Curragh in his bid to give O'Brien his fifth win in the race.

Epsom third Aqaleem, however, will need to be supplemented at a cost of ?150,000 if he is to make the line-up. French challenger Shamdinan, from the Alain Royer-Dupre stable, is a likely contender for the Aga Khan who will be seeking his sixth victory in the race. Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud, said earlier this week: "The recent rainfall has made the case to run him at the Curragh a lot stronger. Fast ground would certainly not suit him."

French-trained horses have a good record in the Irish Derby and Shamdinan, who was third in the French Derby, could be joined at the Curragh by another Gallic raider in Royal And Regal.

Prince Erik, from Dermot Weld's Rosewell House yard, and the Kevin Prendergasttrained Mores Wells are expected to add further strength to the home side.

Weld, who won the Irish Derby in 1996 with Zagreb and with Grey Swallow in 2004, said of Prince Erik: "He has thrived since winning a decent maiden at Leopardstown last month and fully deserves to take his place."

The three day Derby Festival starts on Friday evening and the feature race next Saturday is the Group 1 Audi Pretty Polly Stakes for which the French Oaks winner West Wind is expected to be supplemented at a cost of ?25,000. Other likely runners for the 10 furlong contest include last year's English 1,000 Guineas winner Speciosa, this year's Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Dimenticata, John Oxx's Timarwa and Weld's Truly Mine.

Weld, meanwhile, has a good chance of capturing this afternoon's EBF Coolmore Stud Ulster Oaks at Down Royal with Shane Gorey's mount Fancy Dress. The filly, who races in the colours of Khaled Abdullah, made an impressive winning debut at Cork last month and holds more appeal than either Navajo Moon or Aqraan.

The Thomond O'Maratrained Scot Love is on a roll at present and should be capable of following up his recent Cork win with further success in the Club Soda Hurdle, while the vote in the Club Tonic Galway Plate Trial Handicap Chase goes to Mikey O'Connor's good mare Phelans Fancy who has good recent form over fences to her credit.

Trainer Philip Fenton and his stable amateur Brian O'Connell can make the long journey from their Tipperary base worthwhile by capturing the Club Ginger Ale (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race with An Cailin Coole, a very comfortable seven length winner at Wexford last time.

Racing also takes place today at Gowran Park where The Last Stand, who is trained right beside the course by Tony Mullins, will be fancied to supplement his recent success on the flat at Clonmel with a win in the Jack Duggan Memorial Handicap Hurdle. Turks Wood may be the danger.

Elsewhere on the card, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Diamond Necklace, who has run with credit in a number of Group races, including the Irish 1,000 Guineas, will be short price to register the first win of her career in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden.