Declan McDonogh expects Little White Cloud to be strong in Irish Derby – Horseracing news
Jockey Declan McDonogh is expecting a strong run from Little White Cloud, who is amongst the nine runners lined up for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
According to the talented rider, “Stepping up to a mile and a half should really suit him being from the same family as Millenary and all those good stayers. He put up a good show against Leading Light, who went and won the Queen's Vase. He's tough and he
handles fast ground, so hopefully they won't get too much rain.”
He added, “I think he'll run a good race. He wasn't far behind Battle Of Marengo (in the Derrinstown) and we think he's improved a lot since then, the trip should be right up his street and he should run a good race.”
Although it is quite clear that Little White Cloud has improved his performances with the passage of time, he still needs to prove his worth in order to get the attention of the punters with consistency.
At the moment, the three-year-old colt is amongst the least favourite runners to win the Irish Derby, which means that he will almost need a miracle to pull off a surprise in the mega event. His camp will be hoping that the ground stays fast, as that will
help him a lot. Despite that, a victory seems almost impossible for him. Even if he finishes fourth or fifth, it will boost his confidence and he might probably be considered as a force in the same contest next year.
The John Oxx’s trainee took part in a race at Curragh recently, where the Irish Derby will take place. He was given a pretty decent starting price back then, as his opponents were also inexperienced like him. He displayed a pretty decent performance and
ended up in second place under McDonogh.
Therefore, his jockey is really confident of an impressive run in the all important competition. However, the pair will not find it easy to make a mark in the presence of some strong stallions like Ruler Of The World, Libertarian, Sugar Boy, Trading Leather
and Galileo Rock, who will be battling at the front for the top-five positions.
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