Irish Derby

In this topsy-turvy season, Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh has a large field including six well-regarded maidens who have been unable to open their account before the big day largely due to its proximity to the real start of the current campaign. Half-chances are situated everywhere in the line-up, but this one-off renewal could be an open-and-shut case if Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) is able to replicate his success in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen's Vase eight days previously. Aidan O'Brien's horses have a remarkable record...

G1 Irish Derby ARTHUR'S KINGDOM (IRE) (Camelot {GB}-Madeira Mist {Ire}, by Grand Lodge) Bred by Skymarc Farm, Arthur's Kingdom was a €260,000 Goffs Orby yearling purchase by MV Magnier. The G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up is out of the GIII Dance Smartly H. winner Madeira Mist and therefore a three-quarter brother to triple GI Canadian International winner Joshua Tree (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). CHIRICAHUA (IRE) (Camelot {GB}-Dowager {GB}, by Groom Dancer) Bred by Lynch Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock, Chiricahua was bought by Gaelic Bloodstock for...

A field of 15 have been declared for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh, with Aidan O'Brien responsible for six. The master of Ballydoyle's main chances appear to be last week's G2 Queen's Vase winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up Arthur's Kingdom (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the largest field since 1977. Santiago has been done no favours by the draw, having been posted wide in 11 while Joseph O'Brien has a trio engaged headed by Scott Heider's unbeaten G3 Gallinule...

Dubai Duty Free has extended its sponsorship of the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby by a further two years, and added five additional races to its sponsorship portfolio, which will see prizemoney at this year's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival on June 26 to 28 rise to €2.25-million from €2-million. In 2021, all races at the festival will be worth a minimum of €100,000. The Dubai Duty Free Village in the Curragh garden will this year provide a new entertainment venue with an array of food and beverage...

Goffs on Thursday released the catalogue for its flagship Orby yearling sale, with 472 yearlings set to be offered on Oct. 1 and 2. This year, Orby celebrated a second consecutive Oaks winner when Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) was victorious in the G1 Prix de Diane. Bred by Kilcarn Stud, Channel was an €18,000 private purchase at Orby in 2017 by Meridian International. The year prior, G1 Investec Oaks winner Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had been bought by MV Magnier for €900,000. One of the highlights of this year's...

Sunday's 150th renewal of the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh had looked for a while as if it could be a target for many of the season's leading fillies, but after Monday's declaration and Friday's confirmation stage the representation has been whittled down to just one: the G1 Epsom Oaks winner Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Had it not been for owner Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's decision to supplement on Monday there would have been none of that sex lining up, as the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine...