An eyewatering €855,000 is on offer to the winner of Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the revamped Curragh racecourse. Last year provided a great story as Joseph O’Brien beat his father Aidan with Latrobe. This year 86-year-old Kevin Prendergast has a lively contender in Madhmoon, but Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien have five of the eight entries, with Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck set to go off favorite. Here are the runners and riders.
5.20 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
ANTHONY VAN DYCK (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Jockey: Ryan Moore) 6-5: Kept on strongly to win the Epsom Derby. Worthy favourite.
MADHMOON (pictured; Kevin Prendergast, Chris Hayes) 9-4: Unlucky with draw in 2000 Guineas and just couldn’t get there in Derby.
BROOME (Aidan O’Brien, Donnacha O’Brien) 11-4: Super solid form in the book, fourth at Derby only tells half the story. Big contender.
RAKAN (Dermot Weld, Jim Crowley) 16-1: Well held by Broome in Derby trial at Leopardstown and would need to find a bit more.
NORWAY (Aidan O’Brien, Seamie Heffernan) 20-1: Tactics changed between Chester Cup and Derby at Epsom, but neither worked. Further change at Ascot did not either. Others look to have too much class.
SOVEREIGN (Aidan O’Brien, Padraig Beggy) 25-1: Form is short of the top three in the market.
GUARANTEED (Jim Bolger, Kevin Manning) 40-1: Not lived with big boys when in top company.
IL PARADISO (AIdan O’Brien, Wayne Lordan) 40-1: Rather pitched in here having only won a maiden, but ground and trip should not be a problem.
