Jim Bolger has a puncher’s chance in Irish Derby
Aidan O’Brien has shuffled the pack and dealt his hand for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. But does he have an ace to play?
O’Brien’s record in the Irish Derby is formidable. He has won the race seven times – including a one-to-three in 2002 and 2007 - and is attempting a fifth successive victory.
This year he will saddle five of the 11 runners who will break from the stalls at the Curragh. Of those Bright Horizon and At First Sight appear to have been dismissed in the markets and may both fulfil a pacemaking role that At First Sight did so strongly in the Derby at Epsom three weeks ago, when he was a seven-length second to Workforce.
That day he had both Jan Vermeer, whose chances were undoubtedly compromised by the loss of both front shoes, and Midas Touch behind him, but if the markets are a genuine reflection of stable confidence the best of the O’Brien quintet is the colt who did not even make it onto the plane for Epsom.
Cape Blanco was unbeaten in four runs – including a three-and-a-quarter-length beating of Workforce (who performed well below form) in the Dante Stakes at York – but did not perform with any of the zest he had shown then when he trailed in 10th to Lope De Vega in the Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
However, Johnny Murtagh has selected him, even though one of the reasons that O’Brien opted to run Cape Blanco in the French Classic, over an extended 10 furlongs, were because of doubts over his stamina for a mile-and-a-half.
Looking elsewhere in the field, Coordinated Cut would seem to have been beaten fair and square in the Derby – where he finished seventh – and Chabal’s 20-length pummelling in the Dante can be attributed to his dislike of the fast ground on the Knavesmire that day but the mud is not going to be flying on the sun-dried turf of Curragh either.
Kieren Fallon takes the ride on the Godolphin colt because Frankie Dettori has switched to ride Monterosso; the Dubawi colt who is owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, Sheikh Mohammed’s son, and trained by Mark Johnston.
Monterosso comes into the race with a progressive profile having beaten Arctic Cosmos by two-and-a-quarter lengths in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last week. At First Sight was another two-and-a-half lengths away in fourth, but there has to be a suspicion that he may not have fully recovered from his exertions in the Derby just 13 days previously.
The forgotten horse in the race could be Puncher Clynch. Jim Bolger is not a trainer noted for tilting at windmills and Puncher Clynch (pictured left) has some interesting form, having won the Ballysax Stakes – one of Ireland’s noted Derby trials – at Leopardstown in April.
He beat At First Sight by a short-head, with Mikhail Glinka – the subsequent winner of the Queen’s Vase – another neck behind in third. Bolger declined to push his horse too far too soon but the decision to step up to a Group One race now is interesting and Puncher Clynch could represent real value in an open race.
Tags: