Aidan O'Brien has talked up the credentials of ante-post Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) but put forward 20-1 chance Montreal (Sea The Stars) as being a potential sleeper in the market for the Epsom Classic. O'Brien has won the past three editions of the Derby – with Lambourn, City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin – and will be bidding to land a record-extending 12th success in the race this year. Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Pierre Bonnard was reported to be on track to run in the key Derby trials at Leopardstown en route to Epsom, for which he is a general 11-2 chance. However, speaking at the Ballydoyle press morning on Monday, O'Brien warned against underestimating the merits of unexposed colt Montreal, who was last seen winning a Leopardstown maiden in August by 10 lengths.“Montreal was very smart at Leopardstown when he won,” O'Brien replied when asked to nominate a Derby outsider. “Isaac Newton (Camelot) is a very dark horse as well. I don't know whether he will get to the Derby ahead of the others, or whether he will end up at Ascot, but he's a very dark horse and is much better than what people think. But, listen, it's very hard to not have an each-way [bet] on Montreal. He's a big price.”Confirming that Pieere Bonnard was on track to run in both the Ballysax and the Leopardstown Derby Trial, O'Brien said of the ante-post Derby favourite, “He's very straightforward. He's a big Camelot and is very relaxed and very chilled. Christophe [Soumillon] was always super-impressed with him. Ryan has never ridden him [in a race] and only rode him yesterday [Sunday] morning for the first time.”He added, “We ran him at Leopardstown first time, where he got beaten in a maiden, and I can remember I was afraid going to Dundalk with him because I wasn't sure about the ground. Wayne [Lordan] told me that he would handle Dundalk without any bother and he loved the fast ground. So he handles fast ground and you'd imagine he will get a-mile-and-a-half well because he's so relaxed. He's big and he's classy and he has done very well over the winter.“The Derby is still the race, for anyone who breeds a horse, that's where every horse is geared. It's a tough race, but that's the way it has to be. All those big races are brutal and unforgiving but it's the race the whole breed is based on.”The post ‘He’s A Big Price’ – O’Brien Nominates 20-1 Derby Outsider As Being A Value Play For Epsom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.