Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien will have more than half the field in the world’s most prestigious Classic, the Derby at Epsom.
Winner of the Chester Vase, Sir Dragonet heads O’Brien’s seven runners in a field of 13 declared for Saturday’s raace.
The colt, a son of the O’Brien-trained 2012 Derby winner Camelot, earned the right to be paid up as a late entry with his eight-length win over stablemate Norway at his second start.
O’Brien has also accepted with Anthony Van Dyck, Broome, Circus Maximus, Japan, Norway and Sovereign.
Of those, Circus Maximus took the Dee Stakes at Chester, Anthony Van Dyck landed the Lingfield Derby Trial and Broome won both the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial.
The other Irish competitor is Madhmoon, trained by 86-year-old Kevin Prendergast. The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt was fourth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Like Sir Dragonet, Telecaster was added to the Derby field at Monday’s five-day confirmation stage.
Telecaster, trained by Hughie Morrison, booked his place by lowering Too Darn Hot’s colours in the Dante Stakes at York.
Andrew Balding has a leading contender in Bangkok, who defeated Telecaster on his seasonal debut in March and won the Sandown Classic Trial on his latest start.
Charlie Appleby, successful last summer with Masar, relies on Line Of Duty despite his disappointing run in the Dante.
The field is completed by the John Gosden-trained Humanitarian and Hiroshima from the John Ryan stable.
To be ridden by Ryan Moore, Sir Dragonet will start from the outside barrier and is the 11-4 favourite.
