18:45 Curragh

Friday 26 June 2026

All16:3317:0517:3518:1018:4519:2019:5520:30

Fitzpatrick's Mercedes-Benz Apprentice Derby Handicap

Off time: 18:47 | Winning time: 2m 33.14s

1^st

(11)

Darius Dark

38-8

3/1f

T: J P MurtaghJ: Rory Mulligan (2)

Tracked leaders, headway to lead over 2f out, ridden 1 1/2f out, clear 1f out, kept on under pressure final furlong, reduced advantage close home tchd 10/3

2^nd

(8)

Keepsgettingbetter

38-10

7/2

T: Donnacha O'BrienJ: Paddy Harnett

Mid-division, headway into 3rd and pushed along 2f out, ridden in 2nd 1 1/2f out, kept on well final furlong, strongly pressed winner to line op 4/1

3^rd

(13)

Celtic Druid

58-13

18/1

T: T G McCourtJ: Sadhbh Tormey (7)

Tracked leaders, pushed along 2f out, ridden in 3rd 1 1/2f out, kept on well under pressure in 3rd final furlong, not reach leaders op 14/1 tchd 12/1

4^th

(7)

Covert Legend

68-10

18/1

T: Maurice AhernJ: Shay Wallace (7)

Mid-division, pushed along in 8th 2f out, soon ridden, 7th 1f out, kept on without threatening in 4th near line op 12/1

5^th

(5)

Nod Of Approval

38-8

13/2

T: Mrs J HarringtonJ: Keithen Kennedy

Slowly into stride, in rear, headway into 7th on outer and ridden 2f out, went 5th 1f out, no extra final furlong op 8/1 tchd 6/1

6^th

1 ½

(17)

Party Dress

69-2

40/1

T: W McCreeryJ: Wesley Joyce

Rear of mid-division, headway into 5th and pushed along 2f out, soon ridden, 4th 1f out, no extra final furlong tchd 33/1

7^th

(1)

Faro Island

49-1

10/1

T: A OliverJ: Jack Kearney

Towards rear, headway into 10th and pushed along 2f out, soon ridden, 6th 1f out, no extra op 17/2

8^th

2 ½

(4)

Granville Street

89-6

13/2

T: Ciaran MurphyJ: Sam Coen (2)

Rear of mid-division, pushed along in 9th over 2f out, soon ridden and no impression op 15/2 tchd 17/2

9^th

(19)

Gaelic Drills

38-7

11/1

T: J S BolgerJ: Orla Tynan (7)

Led, took keen hold, ridden and headed over 2f out, soon weakened tchd 9/1

10^th

nse

(22)

Folly Beach

88-7

18/1

T: M A MolloyJ: Patrick McGettigan (2)

Tracked leader in 2nd, ridden and dropped to 6th over 2f out, weakened op 14/1

11^th

(3)

Eastern Peace

49-5

10/1

T: R O'SullivanJ: J Cleary

Towards rear, pushed along in moderate 11th 2f out, soon ridden and no impression op 17/2

12^th

2 ¾

(2)

Sea Eagle

610-2

66/1

T: Gerard O'LearyJ: Danny O'Leary (7)

Always behind, never a factor op 40/1

13^th

(14)

Devine Genius

49-4

100/1

T: J MorrisonJ: Adam Browne-Souza (7)

Tracked leaders, ridden 2f out, weakened tchd 80/1

14^th

2 ¼

(10)

Royal Alliance

48-11

9/1

T: Maurice AhernJ: Jessica O'Gorman (7)

Mid-division, no impression from 3f out, weakened tchd 11/1

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Non-Runners

(6)

Derry Lad²

Weight: 9-2| Age: 8

T: Kevin Coleman J: Nestor Kash

(18)

Pillar Of Hope²²

Weight: 9-9| Age: 8

T: P Sweeney J: Patrick McGettigan

(23)

Kool One³³

Weight: 9-7| Age: 5

T: Conor Maxwell J: Nicola Burns

(9)

Tatum¹⁶

Weight: 8-13| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Jimmy Dalton

(16)

Avoca Woods³¹

Weight: 8-7| Age: 3

T: Jack Foley J: Reserve 3

(20)

Quatre Bras⁷

Weight: 10-0| Age: 5

T: R O'Brien J: Darragh O'Sullivan

(12)

Cracking Cloud²⁵

Weight: 9-8| Age: 4

T: R O'Sullivan J: Hugh Horgan

(21)

Cooley's Mist²²

Weight: 8-9| Age: 4

T: H Rogers J:

(15)

Tassarolo¹⁴

Weight: 8-8| Age: 5

T: D Hogan J: Reserve 1

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:€4.00Pl:€1.70, €1.50, €5.50EX:€16.30Trifecta:€172.50Tricast:€176.98SF:€14.46

Forecasts

Darius Dark (3/1), Keepsgettingbetter (7/2), Nod Of Approval (13/2), Granville Street (13/2), Royal Alliance (9/1), Faro Island (10/1), Eastern Peace (10/1), Gaelic Drills (11/1), Derry Lad (12/1), Pillar Of Hope (12/1), Tatum (14/1), Cracking Cloud (14/1), Kool One (16/1), Quatre Bras (16/1), Cooley's Mist (16/1), Tassarolo (16/1), Celtic Druid (18/1), Covert Legend (18/1), Folly Beach (18/1), Party Dress (40/1), Avoca Woods (50/1), Sea Eagle (66/1), Devine Genius (100/1)

It could pay to concentrate on the 3-y-os in a very competitive handicap, and DARIUS DARK gets the nod to make it a hat-trick. Gaelic Drills is on a potentially handy mark for his handicap debut, with Keepsgettingbetter and Nod Of Approval others to consider

DARIUS DARK (IRE)
GAELIC DRILLS (IRE)
KEEPSGETTINGBETTER (IRE)

Previous Winners

2025

Pillar Of Hope

Weight: 8-13 |Age: 7

J: Patrick McGettigan | T: P Sweeney

14/1

Prize Money

1st: €18,000.002nd: €6,000.003rd: €3,000.004th: €1,500.005th: €900.006th: €600.00