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Sunday's Irish Derby Day Tips: Ben Linfoot’s best bets and selections for the Curragh

Horse Racing

Sun June 28, 2026 · 6d ago

Our form expert has two selections for Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby day at the Curragh on Sunday.

The Verdict: Sunday June 28

1pt e.w Booyea in the 14:45 Curragh at 20/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4)

1pt win Accredited in the 15:55 Curragh at 8/1 (General)

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Accredited in the bank for Aidan on Derby day

Aidan O’Brien goes for his 18th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday and unusually his Epsom winner, Christmas Day, is only third in the betting and not even favoured by stable jockey Ryan Moore.

Conditions are the main reason for that, the soft ground on Betfred Derby day a world away from Sunday’s likely ground, even after Saturday’s less settled weather, after a hot week and a mostly dry forecast for Irish Derby day itself.

With that factored in Moore has stayed faithful to Benvenuto Cellini, who ran down the field in the Derby before controversially being ruled a non-runner after getting his near hind leg stuck on the shelf in the stalls when the gates opened.

It looks a leap of faith to make him a strong favourite here, for all that the ground will be more in his favour, and O’Brien might not have it all his own way with Joseph’s James J Braddock a player as is Owen Burrows’ raider Raaheb.

The last-named is short on experience but big on potential and has been backed like he might be about to realise it, so we’re in for a fascinating feature.

Whether O’Brien wins the Irish Derby or not he has a strong team for the card as you would expect and his ACCREDITED could be the one to improve significantly in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes over a mile.

The €1,000,000 French Breeze-Up purchase looked a very nice prospect when staying on well to win his Naas maiden over seven furlongs in March and after two months off he looked a bit rusty back at the same track last month.

Always on the back foot after being slowly away, he was short of racing room and the run is best ignored after the tardy start, his potential still there for all to see as he finished with more in the tank.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leave that run well behind here with Ryan Moore taking over in the saddle and the first-time blinkers look a good move if they help him get away on terms.

Likely favourite Alcantor hasn’t looked like his former self in two runs for Joseph O’Brien and is worth taking on here, with Accredited getting a useful 10lb from that horse on the weight-for-age scale.

If Alcantor can’t capitalise on this drop in class it looks a race there for the taking and that brings the sole three-year-old in the contest firmly into the equation.

The Verdict: Back ACCREDITED in the 15:55 Curragh

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Booyea looks big for repeat win

The handicaps look tricky but I thought Tom Gibney’s BOOYEA looked big at 20s in the Dubai Duty Free Derby Festival Handicap over a mile at 14:45.

The son of Galileo Gold won this race two years ago off a mark of 88 and he was beaten less than two lengths here off 91 just last August, so he’s looking well handicapped on Sunday off a rating of 84.

His form tailed off last September but he’s much better on faster ground and soft conditions look a viable excuse for his down the field run at Leopardstown last time as well.

Prior to that he had shaped nicely on his reappearance at Naas and his ideal set-up is a strong gallop over a stiff mile and that’s exactly what he should get again on Sunday with a handful of horses likely to be pressing for the lead.

Again, the first-time blinkers look a good idea, especially after he ran so well in first-time cheekpieces in a Leopardstown handicap last July.

Well backed into 5/1 for his seasonal debut, it looks like his ability remains and off his lowest mark in three years he could capitalise at a big price if things drop nicely for him under Billy Lee.