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The Gr.1 Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday has attracted eleven entries for the race, including last week’s runaway Royal Ascot winner Monterosso, who has been supplemented at a cost of €125,000 by his connections.

The son of Dubawi was impressive when landing the Gr.2 King Edward VII Stakes last week, where he had Gr.1 Derby runner-up At First Sight (Galileo) back in fourth. The Mark Johnson-trained, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed-owned colt has done nothing but improve this season and is the winner of five of his seven races.

Aidan O’Brien has yet to taste Classic success in either Ireland or Britain this term, but the Ballydoyle-based trainer has a remarkable record in this race and won it for a record seventh time when Fame And Glory (Montjeu) stormed home last year. O’Brien is responsible for five of the eleven entries for Sunday’s showpiece with Jan Vermeer (Montjeu) installed as the favourite. He can also choose between At First Sight, Bright Horizon, Cape Blanco (Galileo) and Midas Touch (Galileo). He is likely to have at least three runners, but there will be no final decision until later in the week.

Chabal (Galileo) is set to represent Godolphin, while the Michael Bell-trained Coordinated Cut (Montjeu) and David Simcock’s Dubawi Phantom (Dubawi) complete a four strong overseas challenge. Trainer Jim Bolger, meanwhile, supplies the remaining two entries with a couple of really progressive colts in Carraiglawn (Rock of Gibraltar) and Puncher Clynch (Azamour). The Gr.2 Railway Stakes on the same card has attracted an entry of fifteen, which includes the likes of Ascot –fifth Chilworth Lad (Diktat), Clondinnery (Choisir), Formosina (Footstepsinthesand), High Award (Holy Roman Emperor), the Gr.3 Albany Stakes-fourth Radharcnafarraige (Distorted Humor) and Samuel Morse (Danehill Dancer), who was a good fourth behind Strong Suit (Rahy) in the Gr.2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.

The Gr.3 Sapphire Stakes has also attracted plenty of British-trained runners. Regular Curragh visitor Benbaun (Stravinsky) heads a list of nine challengers from that country, while last year’s Gr.3 Round Tower Stakes winner Arctic (Shamardal), the multiple Listed-placed Luisant (Pivotal) and the recent Listed Naas Sprint Stakes heroine Miss Gorica (Mull of Kintyre) spearhead the home defense in the five furlong dash.

Courtesy: European Bloodstock News, UK

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