Johnston star in Irish Derby frame

Middleham handler Mark Johnston will hold talks with representatives for the colt's owner, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, to discuss whether to pay the 125,000 which would guarantee his participation.

The three-year-old son of Dubawi made a seamless transition to Group Two company when winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday.

Johnston said: "It is very much up to the owner, but we supplemented him for the King Edward VII and, if we think he could win the Irish Derby, we would do it again.

"Sir Michael Stoute has said that Ireland comes too soon for Workforce after Epsom and Monterosso only ran last week.

"That would be the question. It would be very quick to be running in a Classic, but he seems to have taken the Ascot race in his stride."

Also in contention for the Irish Classic is Chabal, a bitter disappointment when last seen in the Dante at York.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: "Chabal worked well on Friday. He will be left in the race and we will take a look at the ground, weather and make-up of the race."

Borderlescott is to follow a similar route to 2009 before bidding to win the Nunthorpe Stakes for the third year running.

Robin Bastiman's admirable sprinter will go for the City Wall Stakes at Chester next month and then the Audi Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on the way to the big sprint at York in August.

Bastiman was greatly encouraged by Borderlescott's performance in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot where he was third to Equiano.

"I think that's probably the best he's run early on in the season through the years I've had him. It was arguably his best performance," said the Wetherby trainer.

"Obviously there were some good horses in there – Equiano certainly is. He had the run of the race, while we were stuck in the middle.

"We had no excuses, but I think had we been drawn near Equiano he probably would have been second.

"He's going for the same races again and then after those two runs he'll go for the Nunthorpe.

"I hope he keeps right and he's shown he's still got the heart to do it."

Paul Hanagan gave up his five rides at Wolverhampton yesterday after pulling a muscle in an arm at Pontefract on Sunday.

The jockey was due to partner the Kevin Ryan-trained Royal Hush in the opening fillies' maiden but the horse was withdrawn at the start after bolting on the way to post.

Hanagan did ride in the two following races but gave up his one remaining mount and decided to take yesterday off to fully recover.

His agent Richard Hale said: "A horse bolted him in the first race on Sunday and although he rode a couple more afterwards he gave up his last ride as he'd pulled a muscle in his arm. It's nothing serious, but it's just seized up a bit."

Sabotage heads a field of 49 horses left in Saturday's big race, the John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.

Godolphin's four-year-old is now the top weight with 9st 10lb after Tastahil was among the withdrawals at the latest acceptance stage.

Sabotage's team-mate Sopranist is also a possible for the two-mile heritage handicap, commonly known as the Pitmen's Derby.

The stamina test is restricted to the top 20 in the handicap and those certain to get a run should they turn up at Gosforth Park include the Michael Jarvis-trained Opinion Poll. A winner in France last week, he does need some cut in the ground.

Luca Cumani's Drunken Sailor, Andrew Balding's Chiberta King, Alan Swinbank's Merchant Of Dubai and the Richard Fahey-trained Halla San would all have chances.