Irish Derby Weekend: The Curragh cards take shape...

005 Irish Racing / Wayne Bailey / 26 June 2008 / Leave a Comment

Wayne Bailey looks at the betting highlights of the Irish Derby meeting

Newmarket in Suffolk may be known as the home of racing, but here in Ireland 'racing HQ' means one place - The Curragh.

The County Kildare track may not be as old as its English equivalent, but it has the honour of hosting all five Irish Classics, not least, the Irish Derby - which takes place this weekend. The tension is mounting on this side of the Irish Sea, as those of us who couldn't make it to Epsom get treated to the same battle all over again.

While the Derby rightly takes centre stage, there are a number of other races that shouldn't be overlooked:

Friday, 7:30 - Saoire Stakes (Listed Race) (Fillies)

The first big race of the three day meeting has some interesting contenders, most of which are lightly raced. I'm not big on two-year-old fillies' contests, but David Wachman looks highly likely to find himself in the winners' enclosure afterwards and if I can get a good price, I'll dutch two or three of his entries. What's Up Pussycat lost her maiden tag easily at Cork recently, and I've heard word from the yard that Chintz is highly regarded.

Saturday, 3:45 - Audi Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares)

You can save yourself a tonne of time on this race with one, as it's almost always won by one of the top two horses in the market. Jim Bolger has tasted success here a couple of times and Finsceal Beo should appreciate the return to 1m2f, after appearing uncomfortable with the mile at Ascot. Lush Lashes however, looks like the stable pick after her powerful performance in the Coronation stakes.

Sunday, 3:10 - One 51 Railway Stakes (Group 2)

If you're a small stakes punter, this may not be the race for you. Indeed, seven of the previous 12 winners went off odds-on, and most of the rest were short prices too. Aidan O' Brien is clearly determined, with no less than seven of the 15 entries trained by the Ballydoyle maestro.

Sunday, 3:50 - Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1) (Entire Colts & Fillies)

Following the Railway Stakes, it's the race we've all been waiting for. Whatever horse wins, make a quick note for the future to back it if it's subsequently entered in either the King George VI at Ascot, or the Prix Nell at Longchamp - as half of the past 12 Irish Derby winners have gone on to glory at one or the other of those races.

Let's face it - it simply looks like a match between two horses. My Tuesday article stated that I'm not keen on backing New Approach at such a restrictive price, and I'm probably being over-optimistic waiting for his price to drift to [2.04] or thereabouts. There's always the possibility getting that price matched in-running and then hoping he can repeat his Epsom performance - after all, this is the race that Bolger was supposed to be aiming him at all along!

However, the more the money comes for New Approach, the more attractive Tartan Bearer's price becomes. He's [5.0] right now, and having watched the Epsom Derby at least 20 times now, I think he simply has to be backed at that price. If I can get my other bet matched in-running, surely I'll be in the money at an overall price of [1.45]? It's not going to make me a millionaire, but I can't see any other horse winning. Let's hope Casual Conquest doesn't have other ideas!

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