Check out our man’s horse-by-horse guide and 1-2-3 verdict for Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
1. Ambiente Friendly (James Fanshawe/Robert Havlin)
Only fourth in the Listed Feilden Stakes on his first run as a three-year-old, he sprang a mild surprise when he won the Lingfield Derby Trial in May, seeing out the near-12-furlong trip well and running out a really impressive winner.
Sent off as the 9/2 second favourite for the Epsom Derby on the back of that run, he ran a big race there to finish second behind the favourite City Of Troy. He travelled well through his race and he saw out the trip well, finishing over three lengths in front of Los Angeles. He is the correct favourite for the race.
2. Euphoric (Aidan O’Brien/Declan McDonogh)
Winner of his maiden on his racecourse debut at Navan last October, he was only beaten a length by his stable companion Los Angeles in Leopardstown’s Derby Trial in May.
Sent to the front from flagfall in the Derby, he lasted in the lead until the run to the two-furlong marker. He has led from early in each of his three runs this season to date, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go forward early again here, at a track at which a forward-going style of racing is not a liability.
3. Grosvenor Square (Aidan O’Brien/Wayne Lordan)
Grosvenor Square showed his class and stamina in winning the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes on heavy ground at Leopardstown last October on his third and final run as a juvenile.
Sent off as favourite for the Chester Vase on his debut this season on the back of that win, he appeared to get out-paced when his lesser-fancied stable companion Agenda quickened from the front at the two-furlong marker and, ultimately, he just kept on to finish third behind him and the sadly ill-fated Hidden Law. A half-brother to the 2020 Irish Derby winner Santiago, he has raced just four times, so he still has the potential to progress, but he is going to have to leave his Chester Vase run behind.
4. Keeper’s Heart (Ger Lyons/Colin Keane)
Winner of his maiden at Dundalk last October on his second and final run as a juvenile, he took a big step forward on his debut as a three-year-old when he finished fourth behind Los Angeles and Euphoric in the Leopardstown Derby Trial.
He travelled best of all inside the two-furlong marker that day and, despite the fact that he didn’t have a lot of racing room through the final furlong, he kept on admirably to finish within two lengths of the winner. Stepped up to a mile and a half for the Listed King George V Cup back at Leopardstown, it appeared as if he didn’t fully see out the trip, and it may be that he will be more effective back over 10 furlongs.
5. Los Angeles (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore)
A Group 1 winner at the end of last season as a two-year-old, and winner of the Leopardstown Derby Trial on his first run at three, he lost his unbeaten record in the Epsom Derby, but he ran well in defeat.
He got a little worked up before the Derby, and he was reluctant to load but, ridden forward, he kept on well after he was passed by City Of Troy and Ambiente Friendly to retain third place. He has three lengths to find with the Derby runner-up on that run, but he should appreciate the sterner test of stamina that he should get at The Curragh and, a home game for him and an away game for Ambiente Friendly, he could get a little closer to the favourite than he did at Epsom.
6. Matsuri (Roger Varian/James Doyle)
There is no knowing how good Matsuri could be, he is obviously highly regarded, a 700,000-guinea yearling by Sea The Stars and out of a Hurry Harriet Stakes winner, and he was seriously impressive in winning a novice stakes at Leicester on his debut this season.
This is obviously a massive step up in class, from a novice stakes into an Irish Derby. That said, he could hardly have been any more impressive than he was at Leicester, and it is obviously significant that Roger Varian is happy to make the trip for the Irish Derby.
7. Sunway (David Menuisier/Oisin Murphy)
Winner of the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on his final run last season, his three runs this season have all been in France.
He was only seventh last time in the Prix du Jockey Club, but he was only beaten a total of four and a half lengths by the winner Look De Vega, keeping on from the rear. A full-brother to Champion Stakes winner Sealiway, he shapes as if he could improve for a step up to a mile and a half.
8. The Euphrates (Aidan O’Brien/Dylan Browne McMonagle)
Second in the Ballysax Stakes, he finished only fourth in the Lingfield Derby Trial, more than eight lengths behind Ambiente Friendly.
He didn’t step forward from that at Royal Ascot last week, when he could finish only fifth behind impressive winner Calandagan in the King Edward VII Stakes, and that was only nine days ago.
Verdict:
1. Ambiente Friendly
2. Los Angeles
3. Euphoric
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
