Giant`s Causeway is the new 4-6 favourite for next Saturday`s Esat Digifone Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown after it emerged today that Montjeu is set to miss the race.
Montjeu was expected to go off a hot favourite at Leopardstown after a number of highly-impressive victories including a brilliant success in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on his latest start.
However, trainer John Hammond warned: 'Montjeu is not a certain runner in Ireland.
'He has had a slight training setback and is now only a possible runner next Saturday.
'We will review the situation in the middle of the week.'
And Coolmore sources indicated this afternoon that provided the four-year-old was given the all-clear, he could instead have his prep-race for the Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe in the Prix Foy-Gray d`Albion Barriere at Longchamp next Sunday.
A spokesman for Coolmore boss John Magnier was unable to clarify the details of Montjeu`s setback, remarking: 'John Hammond was looking for the boss but I only saw it on text and told him here at the Curragh.'
The indications are now that Giant`s Causeway, already entered for the race, could instead represent the John Magnier/Michael Tabor partnership at Leopardstown, although the colt`s trainer Aidan O`Brien is reportedly concerned that his stable star 'had this week off'.
The winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on his latest start last month, Giant`s Causeway will be bidding to win an unprecedented fifth Group One race in less than three months.
'The plan with Giant`s Causeway was to go to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, so we gave the horse the week off,' the Coolmore spokesman added.
'Since York he has missed three work mornings and I`d be a little worried that the rest might have taken the edge off his match fitness.
'If it was any other horse except Giant`s Causeway you`d say he probably wouldn`t be ready for Leopardstown but we`d like to have a go at the race if possible.'
Irish bookmakers Cashmans make the three-year-old the 4-6 favourite in their new market with Godolphin`s likely runner Best of the Bests next in the betting at 11-4. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Greek Dance is 7-1.
