Back in the Old Routine

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday’s action centres around the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh, which not long ago was mooted as a potential target for downgrading by the European Pattern Committee but which last year and this has gone some way to reestablishing itself as the Classic it used to be. Unusually for this fixture, fast ground is the order of the day and only half the field have managed to win on good-to-firm. One of them is Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), whose presence in the line-up is further evidence of his connections’ return to the big time they occupied so forcefully in the 1990s.

“Godolphin always want to be competing at the highest level and thankfully that’s what we have been doing this season,” trainer Charlie Appleby said of the G2 King Edward VII S. winner. “We have some nice 3-year-olds and so far they have not let us down. He’s got a nice, upward profile and when horses start improving you don’t know where the ceiling is. For a big, heavy-topped horse it’s surprising how much he appreciates fast ground.”

Aidan O’Brien’s record in this race is remarkable, with a record dozen winners since 1997 and five of them leading home a stable 1-2-3 since 2002. Half of those had been beaten in the G1 Epsom Derby, so statistically it bodes well for the vanquished trio of TDN Rising Stars Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The trainer stated towards the end of the Royal meeting how he felt his horses were short of a peak due to the lateness of getting on the grass gallops in the spring and it was notable how many seemed to just miss their targets there.

“Everyone knows The Curragh is probably the fairest track in the world and physically and mentally we are very happy with Saxon Warrior and we think he should have learned a lot,” O’Brien commented.

Delano Roosevelt has long looked a colt capable of winning something major, but again when favourite for the G2 King Edward VII S. eight days ago he failed to make any impact. There are echoes of El Gran Senor as Saxon Warrior bids to atone for a surprise Derby reversal on this more conventional track he has already won at twice.

Harry Dunlop is looking for a bold showing from Knight To Behold (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who was dynamic when beating the subsequent G2 Queen’s Vase winner Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 3 1/4 lengths in the May 12 Listed Lingfield Derby Trial and who was far too free on the front end in the Derby.

“Things at Epsom didn’t really go his way, so we’ve kept on the Derby trail, taking on those horses again,” commented his trainer, who is hoping to join the honour roll his father John is on twice. “I just feel The Curragh will suit him better and we’ve got the assistance of Frankie Dettori which you can’t knock in any way. We’ve freshened him up and we’ll see how good we are.”

Despite holding a strong hand this year including the colt many believe should be the favourite in Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}), the Brits have very much taken a backseat in a Classic they used to just turn up and take home. It is a measure of the revival of the health of Irish racing that whereas seven out of eight winners from 1986 to 1993 were crossing the sea, only one has managed to carry it off since 2006 and there have only been two overseas winners since the turn of the millennium. Common-sense reading of the form book matters little here, with the likes of North Light (Ire) (Danehill), Dragon Dancer (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), Tartan Bearer (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), Carlton House (Street Cry {Ire}) and Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) all failing to confirm Epsom form, sometimes at short odds. For Dee Ex Bee’s fans, it is worth remembering that in 2010 Monterosso (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) came here as the 3-1 favourite just nine days after his King Edward success and could only finish fourth.

It is surprising how many of the Royal Ascot runners are back in action at The Curragh so soon for Aidan O’Brien, with last year’s G1 Middle Park S. runner-up Fleet Review (War Front) in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Dash S. just eight days after finishing 15th in the G1 Commonwealth Cup and Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Van Beethoven (Scat Daddy) taking up duties in the G2 GAIN Railway S. nine and seven days after finishing third in the G2 Norfolk S. and fourth in the Listed Windsor Castle S. there respectively. They bid to provide their trainer with a 13th renewal of the six-furlong contest, while the Listed Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration S. features the European debut of St Patrick’s Day (Pioneerof The Nile), American Pharoah’s brother who has been scratched from his last two intended engagements.

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