Betting
CURRAGH PREVIEW | The Irish Derby
11 runners make up the field for the Irish Classic at the Curragh on Saturday
The third Irish Classic of the season gets underway on Saturday afternoon, with 11 runners declared in the Irish Derby at the Curragh.
HIGH DEFINITION (2/1) heads the market, after catching the eye with his frightening turn of foot on his two starts as a two-year-old.
Aidan O’Brien’s recruit made rapid headway to win on his debut over a mile and he followed that up with success in the Beresford Stakes a month later.
The three-year-old made his seasonal reappearance in the Dante Stakes at York, but he failed to reproduce his exciting form on that occasion as he could only manage third.
The colt spearheads the quintet of runners hailing from the Ballydoyle yard, with Group 1 winner VAN GOGH (14/1), Queen’s Vase runner-up WORDSWORTH (25/1), Gallinule Stakes runner-up ARTURO TOSCANINI (50/1) and MATCHLESS (100/1) all joining their stablemate.
MOJO STAR (5/1) ran a cracker at big odds in the Derby three weeks ago for Richard Hannon and he could well go one further here.
The son of Sea The Stars impressed on his first start over 1m4f on the Downs, moving through the field and running on well to finish second.
The race did fall apart when looking back however and the colt will need to prove the validity of that form here.
HURRICANE LANE (11/2) has impressed for Charlie Appleby this season and the colt holds some strong form heading into the contest.
The Godolphin-owned runner claimed success on his first start over 1m2f at Newbury in April and followed that up with success in the Dante Stakes, with High Definition finishing two lengths behind in third.
The three-year-old did well to finish third in the Epsom Derby after losing both of his front shoes and he could well produce a big performance here.
LONE EAGLE (8/1) returns to Grouped company after landing the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last month for Martyn Meade, while Jim Bolger’s MAC SWINEY (8/1) aims to land a Irish Classic double after winning the 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh five weeks ago.
Johnny Murtagh’s EARLSWOOD (16/1) is stepped up in class following his Gallinule Stakes victory last month, while FERNANDO VICHI (25/1) will need to show further progress after claiming the Nijinsky Stakes three weeks ago.
