19:15 Curragh

Saturday 27 June 2020

All16:1516:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:45

Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1)

Off time: 19:15 | Winning time: 2m 38.17s

(4)

Arthur's Kingdom^p1¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 107

7/1

Sole win came in a heavy ground maiden at Gowran Park but only beaten 3L in a Saint-Cloud Group 1 in October and returned with a good second in the King Edward VII Stakes; interesting here in first-time cheekpieces if he can eke out improvement.

Form: 2212-2

(12)

Chiricahua²³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons

40/1

Promising debut when second of 17 at Navan and progressed a little to finish runner-up at Naas latest; big step up in class here though and form of his latest start hasn't particularly worked out; steps up in trip.

Form: 22-

(13)

Crossfirehurricane^t¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: S M Crosse| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 106| C

8/1

Four wins from four starts and stayed on well when stepped up in trip to 1m2f in a Group 3 here latest; seemingly still improving and shaped like this longer trip wouldn't be an issue; solid claims for yard that won this in 2018.

Form: 1-111

(10)

Dawn Patrol¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A P O'Brien| BF

10/1

Shaped like he would be suited by a step up in trip at Tipperary on debut and duly improved to finish ½L second to Tiger Moth at Leopardstown over 1m2f. Closely related to Pour Moi and should relish this step up in trip.

Form: 4-2

(5)

Fiscal Rules¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger

15/2

Only narrowly denied by subsequent Guineas runner-up Wichita on debut here (7f); kept on well for fifth in the Irish Guineas here earlier this month and this longer trip should suit. Needs another sizable chunk of improvement though.

Form: 2-5

(3)

Gold Maze¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 103

18/1

Progressing with each start but proved no match for Crossfirehurricane in a Group 3 here 15 days ago and that rival seem to have a fair bit in hand; this longer trip should be in his favour at least.

Form: 53-2

(1)

Iberia^b¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: M C Hussey| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 106| C

25/1

Hasn't won since his debut in maiden here (7f) but highly tried throughout his two-year-old campaign and ran well when not beaten far in the Royal Lodge; not disgraced when beaten 2L in the Derby trial earlier this month but more needed.

Form: 17532-3

(7)

King Of The Throne¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: E Mullins| OR: 92

80/1

Only narrowly denied by Galileo Chrome here in a 1m2f maiden but more exposed than most and record now stands at 0-5; others preferred.

Form: 4963-2

(9)

Order Of Australia^b¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: P B Beggy| T: A P O'Brien

33/1

Improved from debut to finish third of 18 in a 1m2f Leopardstown maiden behind re-opposing stablemates Tiger Moth and Dawn Patrol; stayed on well, shaping like this step up in trip would suit but more needed up in class here.

Form: 5-3

(11)

Santiago⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 111

2/1

Off the mark in a Listowel maiden on his third start and stepped up on that to win the Queen's Vase (1m6f); should go well with stamina assured and sets the standard on form; seemingly the first string on jockey bookings

Form: 221-1

(6)

Sherpa¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Billy Lee| T: Donnacha O'Brien| OR: 102

9/1

Maiden winner at Roscommon on final start for Aidan O'Brien; returned with a fair third in a Group 3 (1m2f) here behind Crossfirehurricane but may struggle to reverse that form.

Form: 671-3

(8)

Sunchart¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Ben Coen| T: A Slattery| OR: 95

80/1

Runner-up behind Santiago on debut and improved to win a Tipperary maiden in October; disappointed when too keen on return at Leopardstown though and needs to leave that effort behind to have any say here.

Form: 21-5

(2)

Tiger Moth¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: E J McNamara| T: A P O'Brien

11/1

Good third on debut and improved for the step up in trip when winning a competitive 18-runner Leopardstown maiden with some of these in behind; interesting with this longer trip sure to suit.

Form: 3-1

(14)

New York Girl¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Declan McDonogh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 106| C

20/1

Improved from debut to win a Group 3 (7f) here in September; ran a big race when fourth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and should improve for this longer trip; no filly since Balanchine has won this race but only three have tried; interesting runner.

Form: 41-4

Non-Runners

(15)

Galileo Chrome¹⁵

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: J P O'Brien J: E Greatrex

Forecasts

Santiago (2/1), Arthur's Kingdom (7/1), Fiscal Rules (15/2), Crossfirehurricane (8/1), Sherpa (9/1), Dawn Patrol (10/1), Tiger Moth (11/1), Gold Maze (18/1), New York Girl (20/1), Galileo Chrome (20/1), Iberia (25/1), Order Of Australia (33/1), Chiricahua (40/1), Sunchart (80/1), King Of The Throne (80/1)

A wide-open renewal of the Irish Derby, a race that has been dominated by Aidan O'Brien in recent times having won 10 of the last 14 renewals. Santiago is probably his best chance this time around and he sets the standard on his Queen's Vase win at Royal Ascot but a chance is taken on Joseph O'Brien's CROSSFIREHURRICANE. He won with more in hand than the winning margin suggested in a Group 3 here last time out and there were signs he was still learning on the job that day. Not many fillies have run in this race in recent times but the selection's stablemate New York Girl isn't without claims with improvement likely up in trip. Sunchart could go well at a likely big price.