The Rock Of Gibraltar colt will be reunited here with stable jockey Kieren Fallon, who was unable to ride Eagle Mountain in either the Racing Post Trophy, the English 2,000 Guineas or the Epsom Derby due to the ongoing ban that prevents him riding in Britain. The jockey will be teaming up with the colt in public for the first time since winning the Group 2 Beresford Stakes on him at the Curragh last October.

O'Brien reported earlier this week that "he's in good form and it's a case of so far, so good for him and our other three runners Alexander Of Hales, Soldier Of Fortune and Spanish Harlem." Fallon will be bidding for his third win in the Irish Derby, following the memorable victories of Hurricane Run and Dylan Thomas. He travels to the Curragh today buoyed up by his recent confidence-boosting Group 1 success in France.

Eagle Mountain, who came from quite a long way back at Epsom, certainly won't be lacking in confidence from the saddle, but punters looking for a bit of value will welcome the news that there has been solid each-way support for his stable-companion Soldier Of Fortune.

The son of Galileo can be expected to improve on his fifth placing behind Authorized at Epsom and has been backed from 9/1 into 6/1.

Shamdinan is one of two French challengers and Alain de Royer-Dupre's colt can be expected to run a big race at the Curragh if stepping up on his third placing in the French Derby. Fellow Gallic raider Royal And Regal, winner of two of his four starts, must also be considered. The Sadler's Wells colt is trained by Andre Fabre, who has won the Irish Derby twice before, and a big run is likely from Johnny Murtagh's mount.

Murtagh, of course, knows the Curragh like the back of his hand and his two wins in the Irish Derby give him valuable tactical awareness.

Two others that should not be overlooked are Mark Johnston's Boscobel and the Michael Stoute-trained Al Shemali. The latter was only beaten by a head in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and his trainer, who is seeking his fourth Irish Derby win, considers this distance of a mile and a half to be his optimum trip. Soft ground will further count in his favour and it should not be forgotten that Al Shemali was previously only beaten five lengths by Authorized in the Dante Stakes at York.

Boscobel was an impressive winner of the King Edward V11 Stakes at Royal Ascot and would have been ridden by Frankie Dettori had he not failed to meet the deadline to get the two-day whip ban he picked up while riding the same horse at Sandown last month deferred.

Trust O'Brien and Fallon, instead, to work their magic with Eagle Mountain.