FOZZY Stack provides the Irish interest at Belmont Park’s Invitational Derby and Oaks meeting tonight when he sends Aspen Grove, who will be the mount of Oisin Murphy in a field of nine fillies for the Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational.

She is the only overseas runner in that race but Charlie Appleby and Ian Balding are represented by Silver Knott (Richard Mullen) and The Foxes (Oisin Murphy) in the 11-runner Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes.

The $750,000 Belmont Derby is worth $412,500 to the winner. Silver Knott, second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, was well down the field behind Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas before travelling to Belmont in June for the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes.

But he could only manage third behind Chad Brown’s all the way winner Kalik who lines up again and is on a four-timer, and Todd Pletcher’s Far Bridge. He didn’t get the run of the race that day and could step up on that run. The Appleby yard seem in a bit better form, also.

The Foxes won the Dante by a neck from White Birch but had to settle for fifth in the Derby itself behind Auguste Rodin though that form should normally be good enough to trump the American turf three-year-olds.

Far Bridge, a son of English Channel, missed by a nose in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes to tonight’s runner Webslinger.

It’s a wide open race and if Murphy moves forward from his outside draw to keep tabs on the front runner, he could play a big hand and the two British challengers should be well up to this task.

Oaks showdown

The Belmont Oaks Invitational features a likely showdown between a pair of fillies each trained by Chad Brown and Graham Motion.

Brown has won the event six times, including last year with McKulick and four in a row from 2012 through 2015.

Aspray looks his number one after three wins from three. He brings an Irish influence via pedigree. The Quality Road filly is out of the Galileo mare Up. His other runner Prerequisite won the local Grade 2 prep race for this.

Mission Of Joy is the Motion number one and favourite. By Kitten’s Joy, she won the Florida Oaks and might have a five-race winning streak had she not clipped heels when third in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day. She since won the Grade 3 Regret Stakes over the same course in June. Papilio, an Irish-bred daughter of Starspangledbanner, was second there and is one of the most experienced with three wins from nine runs for Mark Casse.

Motion also handles Speirling Beag. She was a dual winner last season for Jim Bolger including the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown but after an unplaced in France this spring for the Bottis, has now joined Motion running for a partnership of Walmac Farm, Gainesway Stable and Haras d’Etreham.

Aspen Grove, a Justify filly owned by Glen Hill Farm and Sue Magnier, won the Group 3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes over a mile at two but last time out was last of 10 to Tahiyra in the Irish 1000 Guineas. Fozzy Stack is positive on the filly’s chances (ran well on very soft going in a high class Prix Marcel Boussac last season) and from the wide draw under Oisin Murphy she could pounce to outrun her odds.

Also on the card (8.09) the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes has a small field of five of older dirt horses and Todd Pletcher’s Charge It is the short-priced favourite.