Eleven line up for Irish Derby
There will be 11 runners for the Group One Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.
As expected Aidan O’Brien has played his usual numbers game as he seeks to win the race for an eighth time – including a one-to-three in 2002 and 2007 - and a fifth time in succession.
O’Brien will have five runners in the race - Jan Vermeer, At First Sight, Bright Horizon, Cape Blanco and Midas Touch – and Johnny Murtagh has decided to ride Cape Blanco, the colt who did not even make it on to the team for the Derby at Epsom three weeks ago.
Then Murtagh opted to ride Jan Vermeer, who finished fourth at Epsom, while Cape Blanco (pictured) – who had won each of his four previous starts including the Dante Stakes - was switched to Chantilly for a crack at the Prix Du Jockey Club, where he trailed in 10th.
However, the consensus within the Ballydoyle think tank is whether Jan Vermeer has fully recovered from what was a punishing race in the Derby, which was run in record-breaking time. At First Sight, who finished second having set a strong gallop, looked to have run well below that form when he finished fourth to Monterosso in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.
Murtagh said, in an interview on At The Races, Murtagh explained just how tough a decision it had been to side with Cape Blanco. “For some reason he didn't run well in France,” the jockey said. “I got bumped out at the top of the straight and that knocked him off balance and he never got really into his stride. We saw him in a different light in the Dante. He won very well that day and I think we have him back to his best.
“Picking between him and Jan Vermeer was a very tough decision, but I've gone with him now and on Sunday we'll see what happens. The Dante form looks good. I suppose Workforce has stepped up a lot in the Derby, but that day my horse ran really well. It felt like a good race on the day and he stretched out.
“Hopefully he's back to that form and I'm looking forward to the Irish Derby."
In other jockey bookings Kieren Fallon will now take the ride on Chabal, the Godolphin runner trained by Saeed bin Suroor, to replace Frankie Dettori who is riding the Maktoum-owned Monterosso for Mark Johnston.
Sir Michael Stoute had already ruled out Workforce, the seven-length winner of the Derby, out of the Irish version for just that reason, opting to wait for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot next month.
And Stoute may be providing the main opposition with Harbinger who will provide champion jockey Ryan Moore with an enviable choice of rides.
Harbinger, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, took time to fulfil his potential as a three-year-old and underwent a breathing operation. But he is unbeaten in three this season and was one of the most impressive winners at last week’s royal meeting with a three-and-a-half-length win in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Speaking on HTR website, Stoute said: "He has come out of last week's race in good form and cantered this morning. He deserves to take his chance and, as we saw on Saturday, he was well-suited to Ascot's galloping track."
Highclere's racing manager Harry Herbert said: “We are all thrilled that Sir Michael is keen to run Harbinger in the King George and what a race it promises to be, especially taking on such an impressive Derby winner in Workforce.
“This will be Highclere's first runner in the race and all of our owners could not be more excited at the prospect.”
Harbinger was one of three Royal Ascot winners for HTR, along with Approve in the Group Two Norfolk Stakes and Memory in the Group Three Albany Stakes. Those promising juveniles are expected to be seen out next when Memory may run at Newmarket’s July meeting while Approve could make the step up to six furlongs for the Gimcrack Stakes at York in August.
One trainer whose plans have been scuppered is Richard Fahey. The trainer has had to declare Cosmic Sun as a non-runner for the John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday which means that Aaim To Prosper, as the first reserve, is now added to the field.
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