7 horses will line up in Saturday’s Group One Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.
Epsom Derby hero Australia and runner-up Kingston Hill dominate proceedings. Apart from Australia, O’Brien has Geoffrey Chaucer, Kingfisher and Orchestra in the race which will be off at 5.30pm. Fascinating Rock will represent Dermot Weld who has won the race previously with Zagreb and Grey Swallow and Ponfeigh will represent another local Curragh based trainer in John Oxx, who has won the race twice in the past with Sinndar (2000) and Alamshar (2003).
Also tomorrow, a strong British trained team of the Richard Hannon trained Kool Kompany and Ahlan Emarati trained by Peter Chapple Hyam head the 8 runners in the GAIN Railway Stakes, while Capella Sansevero, War Envoy and Battle of Marathon are among the home trained team in the Group 2 contest.
Top sprinters Maarek, Extortionist and Monsieur Joe are among seven runners in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Sapphire Stakes, also on Saturday, a huge field of 25 clash in the 100,000 euro Paddy Power Scurry.
This year’s Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas winner Marvellous will face 2013 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge in Sunday’s Newbridge Silverware Pretty Polly Stakes. The Group One feature also includes last year’s winner Ambivalent Thistle Bird and Venus De Milo
Also on Sunday, Pale Mimosa is among the 9 runners in the At The Races Curragh Cup, while Parish Hall and the John Oxx trained Ebanoran head the 5 runners in the Friarstown Stud International Stakes. A high class field of 11 runners in the Grangecon Stud Stakes include Leading Actress, Back to Base and Jeanne Girl
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival kicks off today with a very competitive 7 race programme featuring the DoneDeal Apprentice Derby and DoneDeal Premier Handicap, while country music star Nathan Carter performs a concert after the last race
