Irish Derby (G1)
June 25, 2021
Racegoers will be welcomed back to the Curragh for the Irish Derby, it will be a treat for the thousand people who get inside the gate.
Mac Swiney winning the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh with Rory Cleary, photo courtesy of David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Three English horses will travel, Mojo Star, Hurricane Lane, second and third at Epsom in the Derby to Adayar are accompanied by Lone Eagle, the Cocked Hat winner at Goodwood who bypassed Epsom.
Mojo Star sprung a surprise at big odds in the Derby, 50/1. His form now reads 222, the previous runs were tight calls, a nose and a ½L, Rossa Ryan gets the saddle back having held it in those first two outings, expect some smile on Richard Hannon’s face, his trainer, if he’s breaks his maiden here.
Charlie Appleby’s Hurricane Lane was unbeaten going to Epsom, William Buick chose him, his three runs before that including the Dante were all winning one’s, William’s once again in the plate, did he stay at Epsom?
Martyn Meade chose a different route for Lone Eagle, an impressive winner at Goodwood, previously fourth in the Sandown Classic Trial, a race that has stood up very well, Alenquer the winner went on to win the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot and the second, Adayar, going on to win the Derby. He’s been supplemented for this.
The home team is led by the favourite High Definition, the pick of Ryan Moore, he also bypassed Epsom when Aidan O’Brien only declared the one, Bolshoi Ballet. He had held sway as Derby favorite all through the winter on the back of two eye-catching runs last year, coming from off the pace, he came from last to first to win his Maiden and followed up in similar style in the Beresford. HIs one run this year was the Dante where he ran third to Hurricane Lane, did it come too soon, he was to run at Lingfield five days earlier in their Derby Trial but Aidan decided that was too soon.
Ballydoyle revert to type running five, as well as High Definition, Aidan sends Wordsworth, Seamie Heffernan takes the ride, second to High Definition in his Maiden win, he was a good winner of his own maiden at Navan in April, he was then beaten by a good horse at Navan, stablemate, Sir Lucan. He went to Ascot for the Queen’s Vase over a trip two furlongs longer than this where again he ran second.
Colin Keane once again gets the call on Van Gogh, they partnered in Paris for the French Derby over ten furlongs where they didn’t land a blow, before that Van Gogh had his best run in the Irish Guineas when a running on third, he also won a G1 in France last year.
Emmet McNamara gets the leg up on Arturo Toscanini, winner of a backend Maiden where he’d Johnny Murtagh’s Earlswood back in third. He was a little unlucky at Ascot in The Queen’s Vase, when short of room 2f out, he was doing his best work at the finish. Matchless, the last of the Balldoyle quintet will take on the pacemaking duties, a Listowel Maiden winner last year, Michael Hussey is rewarded with the saddle. Can he do a Sovereign?
Earlswood turned around the form with Arturo Toscanini in the Gallinule this year when winning impressively, Ben Coen rode his first winner at Royal Ascot last week for Johnny, can they combine to take the Irish Derby? If they do, the thousand people will take the roof off the stand.
Donnacha O’Brien gives Fernando Vichi a run, he took his Maiden second time of asking at Leopardstown last July, this year sixth in the Ballysax, third in the Derrinstown, he won the Nijinsky Stakes at Leopardstown last time out dominating. He’s an improving colt, Gavin Ryan retains the mount.
Mac Swiney, the Irish Guineas winner ran fourth at Epsom. He’d beaten Poetic Flare at the Curragh adding a second G1 to his CV after winning the Vertem Futurity last year. He’s the best form in the book and is already a classic winner.
The three-year-old middle-distance division is crying out for a star, Jim Bolger has the best three-year-old miler in Europe after Poetic Flare’s annihilation of the opposition in the St James’s Palace Stakes. Mac Swiney got the better of him at the Curragh, the run at Epsom came two weeks later.
High Definition could well be the star we’re looking for however his preparation hasn’t been smooth. Although Mac Swiney has questions to answer, the trip being the main concern after Epsom, the tenacity he showed at the Curragh in winning the 2000 Guineas puts him bang there, he’s the choice to take on the favourite.
Recommendation
Mac Swiney 8/1 ew
