Donn McClean provides a horse-by-horse guide to Saturday evening Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.
Dubai Duty Free: Key info
- When: 19:15, Saturday June 27
- Where: The Curragh Racecourse
- TV info: Racing TV & RTE2
- Racecard & free video form
- Sky Bet odds & offers
Santiago
Aidan O'Brien, Seamie Heffernan
He stayed on strongly to win the Queen’s Vase on soft ground at Royal Ascot last Friday. He is stepping back down in trip and he will probably encounter faster ground. It was soft too when he won his maiden at Listowel last September. He is tough and progressive and, the choice of Seamie Heffernan, he looks like the number one contender from Aidan O’Brien, who has won the race 13 times. He is a logical favourite.
Arthur’s Kingdom
Aidan O'Brien, Wayne Lordan
Second in the Group 1 Grand Criterium at Saint-Cloud last October, he ran well on his debut this season in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot to finish second to Pyledriver. He was well enough beaten by the winner on the day, but he kept on well, and he finished in front of his better-fancied stable companion Mogul. By the Guineas winner and dual Derby winner Camelot, sire of Epsom Derby favourite English King and 2018 Irish Derby winner Latrobe, and a three-parts brother to three-time Canadian International winner Joshua Tree, we know that he will stay, and he could improve again for first-time cheekpieces.
Crossfirehurricane
Joseph O'Brien, Shane Cross
Unbeaten now in four runs, he has continued to progress, and he put up the best performance of his career last time in winning the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes over 10 furlongs at The Curragh, when he had Gold Maze and Sherpa behind him. A son of Kitten’s Joy, his stamina for a mile and a half is not assured on pedigree, but he saw out 10 furlongs well last time, he continues to progress, and he is deserving of his chance.
Fiscal Rules
Jim Bolger, Kevin Manning
Only just beaten by Guineas runner-up Wichita in a maiden at The Curragh last August on his racecourse debut, he has run just once since, in the Irish 2000 Guineas two weeks ago, when he ran well to finish fifth behind Siskin. A half-brother to Cimeara, who won a Group 3 race over a mile and six furlongs, he should improve for a step up to a mile and a half, and he is trained by master trainer Jim Bolger, but he is short enough, and it is a big ask for a twice-raced maiden to win an Irish Derby.
Iberia
Aidan O'Brien, Michael Hussey
Third behind Royal Dornach and Guineas winner Kameko in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket last year, he couldn’t get past his stable companion Cormorant in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial on his debut this season, and he ceded second place to another stable companion Russian Emperor close home. He will need to improve on that if he is going to win an Irish Derby, but he was a little keen early on that day in his first-time blinkers and, if he settles better, he could do better.
Dawn Patrol
Aidan O'Brien, Ronan Whelan
He was favourite to win the 10-furlong maiden that Tiger Moth won at Leopardstown two and a half weeks ago and, while he gave best to his stable companion, he kept on well to the line, going down by just a half a length in the end. By Galileo and a three-parts brother to Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi, he should improve for a step up in trip.
Tiger Moth
Aidan O'Brien, Emmet McNamara
He travelled like the most likely winner from a fair way out in that Leopardstown maiden and, once moved out and into the clear in the home straight, he picked up well and he stayed on strongly to the line, leading home an Aidan O’Brien-trained 1-2-3-4. That was just his second run. On his first, he finished a close-up third behind this year’s Listed Trial Stakes winner Ten Year Ticket in a seven-furlong maiden at The Curragh last October. He is progressive and he should come forward again.
New York Girl
Joseph O'Brien, Declan McDonogh
She did well to win the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes over seven furlongs on heavy ground at The Curragh last September, coming from an unpromising position and staying on strongly to get up and win by a neck. She ran well too in the Irish 1000 Guineas on her debut this season to finish fourth behind Peaceful, beaten a head and the same for second. A daughter of Derby winner New Approach and a half-sister to Enery, who won five times over 11 and 12 furlongs, she should improve for a step up in trip. No filly has won the Irish Derby since Balanchine won it in 1994, but only three have tried in the interim and, in an unusual year, she is an interesting contender, receiving 3lb from the colts.
Gold Maze
Jessica Harrington, Shane Foley
Third behind Innisfree in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes on his second and final run last season, he finished second behind Crossfirehurricane in the Gallinule Stakes on his debut this term. By Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn and out of a Galileo mare who won a listed race over a mile and a half, the step up to the Derby trip should suit, and trainer Jessica Harrington’s horses continue to be in top form.
Sherpa
Aidan O'Brien, Billy Lee
Winner of his maiden at Roscommon last August on his final run for Aidan O’Brien, he stepped forward from that on his debut this season, his first run for Donnacha O’Brien, when he finished third in the Gallinule Stakes. He finished behind Crossfirehurricane and Gold Maze in that race, but he had to check his momentum inside the final furlong, but for which he would have gone closer. His dam won over a mile as a juvenile and ran in the Oaks, and he races as if he will get further than 10 furlongs.
Chiricahua
Ger Lyons, Colon Keane
He didn’t make his racecourse debut until he appeared in a one-mile maiden at Navan last October, when he shaped encouragingly, and he stepped forward from that to run Nobel Prize to a head in another one-mile maiden at Naas on the last day of the season. A scopey individual, this is a big ask on his seasonal debut, but he should make up into a nice three-year-old, and Guineas-winning trainer Ger Lyons’ horses continue to be in fine form.
Galileo Chrome
Joseph O'Brien, Edward Greatrex
He did well to win his maiden at The Curragh two weeks ago over 10 furlongs on just his second ever run, engineering racing room for himself at the two-furlong marker and staying on strongly on the near side to get up and beat King Of The Throne by a head. By dual Derby winner Australia, he is a three-parts brother to Cocked Hat Stakes winner Michelangelo. He should stay the trip okay and, with just two runs under his belt, he could step forward again.
Order Of Australia
Aidan O'Brien, Padraig Beggy
A three-parts brother to Iridessa, quadruple Group 1 winner over distances from a mile to 10 furlongs, he finished third in that Leopardstown maiden that Tiger Moth won and in which Dawn Patrol finished second after racing prominently. Padraig Beggy rode him that day, and he keeps the ride for the Irish Derby so, while it would be a surprise if he won it, Sovereign was only 12 months ago.
Sunchart
Andrew Slattery, Ben Coen
Beaten just over a length by Santiago in a Listowel maiden last September, he was impressive in winning his maiden at on heavy ground Tipperary last October on his second and final run as a juvenile, but he was disappointing in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on his debut this term. Rain would probably be a positive, but he is going to have to leave his Derrinstown run behind.
King Of The Throne
Emmet Mullins, Rachael Blackmore
He was just caught by Galileo Chrome in that maiden at The Curragh two weeks ago, and Emmet Mullins thought enough of him to allow him take his chance in the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Newcastle last November. He is a first runner in the Irish Derby for his trainer, and a first ride in the race for Rachael Blackmore.
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