enhanced his Betfred Derby claims with a comfortable success in the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The son of Dubawi, who was narrowly beaten in the Futurity Trophy before winning the Ballysax Stakes in March, justified odds-on favouritism. 

After beating Purview for Aidan O'Brien and Wayne Lordan, Delacroix was cut to 4-1 (from 6s) by Coral for next month's Epsom Classic.

"He seems to have improved a lot from his last run here and felt in good form at home," Lordan told Racing TV. "He's well in himself and the race worked beautifully. He has a good cruising speed and can quicken. He hit the line well."

On whether Delacroix could line up in the Derby, the jockey added: "I think he's an Epsom horse. He has some class so you can definitely think about it for him. We've got loads of horses who could fit so they'll find their own slots."

O'Brien has a strong hand in the Classics after winning key trials at Chester and Lingfield this week, while he is also responsible for the favourite The Lion In Winter, who is due to make his seasonal reappearance in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York on Thursday.

http://www.racingpost.com/news/reports/delacroix-cut-to-3-1-for-betfred-derby-following-comfortable-leopardstown-success-ajpt13r23fwV/