Monday’s Racing Round-Up features running plans for Aidan O’Brien’s stars…

Lazzat remains in contention for Saturday's Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock after the five-day declaration stage. Winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Jerome Reynier-trained gelding produced an excellent performance in defeat when second in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. He will face a competitive field including Group 1 July Cup winner No Half Measures, Group 1 Commonwealth Cup heroine Time For Sandals and Group 3 Summer Stakes victor Sayidah Dariyan.

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Christophe Soumillon is anticipated to play a significant role at Ballydoyle in the upcoming months, following the news that Ryan Moore would be ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a fractured femur.

Speaking at a press morning for Irish Champions weekend, O'Brien said: "Christophe has ridden a lot for us. I don't know how long Ryan is going to be out for but I will tell him to take as much time as he wants.

"Christophe has always been a part of our plans. He's not tied down to anybody now and he's a world-class jockey everywhere in the world. He has been riding for us a lot since he's been released."

Soumillon has ridden at the top level for Aidan O'Brien in France, achieving a recent Group 1 success aboard Diego Velazquez in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

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Aidan O'Brien outlined plans for his main stable stars during an Irish Champions Weekend press morning, with Group 1 Eclipse Stakes winner Delacroix set to headline in the Group 1 Irish Champions Stakes.

"I'm very happy, everything has gone well since York. York was a bit of a non-event (for him) really but everything has been good since, so I'm very happy," said O'Brien.

"He's very fresh so we're looking forward to Leopardstown.

"He's a good horse. We had it in our head that what did happen at York could happen and we were going to follow the pacemaker, but when the Japanese horse (Danon Decile) got in front it kind of changed the whole race.

"We've always thought he was a good horse and the ground doesn't matter to him. He's very happy on quick ground and he seems very happy with an ease in the ground as well, so I don't think it matters."

Dual Oaks winner Minnie Hauk will head straight to Longchamp for the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and is likely to be joined by Los Angeles.

"Minnie Hauk is going straight to the Arc at the moment, that's what we're looking at.

"I think she will handle softer ground, but up to her last day all her runs were on slowish ground. She's a very good mover and we were very confident that she would handle the fast ground at York, which she did."

The Group 1 Nassau Stakes heroine Whirl has the Group 1 Prix Vermeille as a target en-route to a possible tilt in the 'Arc' but will remain on stand-by as a possible Irish Champion Stakes contender should Delacroix not run.

"She's well, she's a possible. She's there as kind of a protective in case Delacroix didn't run.

"It's very possible that she will go to France for the Vermeille and then she's had her run if she wants to go for the Arc, so we have our eye on the Vermeille first unless something happened to Delacroix."

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Trainer Roger Teal is looking forward to a return to Longchamp for Sunday's Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp with stable star Dancing Gemini, who produced another strong performance when third behind Diego Velazquez in the Prix Jacques le Marois (Gr.1) at Deauville.

Second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains as a three-year-old, the son of Camelot progressed physically over the winter and recorded back to back Stakes victories in the Doncaster Mile and bet365 Mile at Sandown. Although unable to win since, he has rewarded connections with Group 1 placings in both the Lockinge Stakes and the Prix Jacques le Marois.

Teal said: "All seems very well. He ran a great race in Deauville [Prix Jacques le Marois], the ground was probably quicker than I expected but he still ran a very strong race and if he turns up in the same form, he'll probably run a great race at Longchamp.

"He's totally different this year from last year. He was still growing last year, he looks more like a sprinter now, he's more muscular and he's very well.

"It should be perfect ground. I don't think he wants it too soft, but good-to-soft is perfect."

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