Horses to follow: 15 Irish Derby Festival eye-catchers

Tom Thurgood looks back at all three days of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival and shares some names to note for your Racing TV Trackers.

As can often prove the case at the Curragh, it generally paid to be on the pace over the three of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival and this is borne out by the in-running comments over the three days. Of the 23 winners, 18 were described as being prominent or having led while five ‘made all’ or ‘virtually all.”

Most of the names here made ground from off the pace and are worth marking up, but there were some instances, albeit not many, over the course of the three days where it didn’t seem advantageous to be right up with the van. Above The Curve is one to bear in mind who did quite well on the sharp end when the protagonists came from behind in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Here are 15 horses to note and names which hopefully have more to offer in the coming weeks and months.

BENNU

Trainer: Willie Browne

Finishing position: 10th, Cunningham’s Of Kildare Irish EBF Maiden

The pace held up in the opening race of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival – a scenario which was to regularly play out in the 22 remaining races over the three days – and Bennu raced in the far-side group which seemed to go a bit harder early on and nothing really featured from that group bar the winner, Little Black Bear, who adopted a more central position at around the half-way point.

Bennu was green and slowly away and faded late on after doing too much early, but I thought he shaped OK and wasn’t knocked about, while this opening 6f trip may prove sharp enough in time.

This colt is beautifully bred – he’s half-brother to Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star – and trainer Willie Browne is a renowned breeze-up consignor who has trained winners but, until this point, his yard has only trained a handful of winners per year on average and he’s yet to send out a first-time out Flat winner from 28 attempts so far with just two placed. The strike-rate goes up to 7% for runners second-time with a 20% win-and-place strike-rate so it’s reasonable to hope better can be expected next time.

TEN DEEP

Trainer: Paddy Twomey

Finishing position: 5th, Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden

She had a nice draw on the inside for this debut run but, all the same, I liked the way she easily travelled up approaching the 2f marker after going a bit keenly early in the content. Although she as passed by faster finishers towards the centre of the track, she still stuck on well enough to the line.

Twomey is a remarkable trainer and his record in Irish maidens is extraordinary. His runners are profitable to follow but, unsurprisingly, they do improve for a run (41% with horses who have run at least once before; +£54.49, 74% win and place, 1.32 A/E) compared to debut runners (23%, +£30.56, 46% win and place, 1.22 A/E).

DOLLERINA

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Finishing position: 2nd, Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden

This Territories filly is bred to improve, and she hit the line strongly on debut in a race where the pace held up. She made her challenge from a bit further back after having to tack across to the main group in the early stages from the widest draw.

O’Brien’s juveniles improve with racing and the yard’s record with first-time out two-year-olds is testament to that (7.6% strike-rate, -£106.86, 0.64 A.E). The strike-rate nearly doubles to 14.7% with two-year-olds having their second start for the yard, so improvement can be expected and she’s surely a useful filly in the making.

ECLAT DE LUMIERE

Trainer: Dermot Weld

Finishing position: 7th, Harp Bar Kildare Handicap

Course specialist Verhoyen was not for catching here – one of five winners to have made all over the three days – and indeed all the protagonists in this were up with the pace.

Eclat De Lumiere was never really going to have a shot at this given she was anchored at the back for most of the journey, but she did travel about best approaching the 2f marker under Chris Hayes and had to wait for a gap too before sticking on near the line. She still looked a bit green in the closing stages and, despite her finishing position, was only just over five lengths adrift of the runner-up.

By Sea The Stars, she seems to take more after the dam’s side of the pedigree as a half-sister to classy 7f performers Es Que Love and Zhui Feng and this four-year-old is still unexposed at seven furlongs and shorter.

She has run well on both starts on a straight course now after keeping lofty company last year. She could prove better than this handicap mark of 82 sooner rather than later if campaigned at this shorter trip with more regularity.

S'ALL GOOD MAN

See how Tudor City won the Apprentice Derby at the Curragh

Trainer: Bill Farrell

Finishing position: 5th, Silken Thomas & Lock 13 Apprentice Derby

The seven-year-old finished to very good effect from off the pace and might well have nabbed fourth in a few more strides.

S'All Good Man ran in this race year but this was a better effort this time around and, given he just missed out in handicap company at Limerick subsequently and then finished second again at Leopardstown after that, he might be able to score fairly soon.

A continuing partnership with Neve Bennett in the saddle would also help his immediate prospects. The jockey has ridden the gelding the last three times and her 7lb claim is very much an asset on the early evidence - after 54 rides so far, she has won seven times including on chances priced at 28-1, 18-1 and 12-1 (+£33, 1.54 A/E). Bennett also has a win and place strike-rate of 31.5%, so is getting her mounts into the money. Both of them may have another opportunity to team up at Galway.

An honourable mention here to winner Tudor City, who won well. He’s run at the Galway Festival for the last eight years and, remarkably, is set for his ninth consecutive appearance at the meeting in a few weeks after his initial outing as a three-year-old in 2015 when ridden by Fran Berry. This grand campaigner d dual Galway Hurdle winner has several options, including the feature handicap for amateur riders on day one or the 1m4f premier handicap – he has run in both previously!

SAVE YOUR LOVE

Trainer: Johnny Murtagh

Finishing position: 4th, J. J. Mahon & Sons Handicap

One of the bigger eye-catchers of the three days, he genuinely rocketed home in the penultimate furlong and made ground from well off the pace in comparison to the protagonists in the penultimate race on day one.

Rider Ben Coen went for a gap near the rail inside the final furlong which always looked unlikely from the viewer’s angle and that didn’t help with late momentum – he had no time to respond after that with the line upon him – but he ran on notably well after essentially being last three furlongs from home.

For all the yard’s horses ran well at the meeting, Save Your Love still ranks as one to note and probably well-handicapped.

UNASSUMING

See how Unassuming and shaped on debut at Irish Flat HQ

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Finishing position: 5th, Hartes Group Irish EBF Maiden

Another eye-catcher in a maiden from this yard over the three-day fixture, Unassuming made a lovely start here after weaving through rivals right from the back of the field and looking like she could take a marked step forward next time.

She travelled comfortably and took the eye with how she made her challenge and was not knocked about inside the final furlong.

One of six entries in the Irish Oaks for her top trainer, that would suggest connections view this Lope De Vega filly as a stayer and, while that Classic will obviously come too soon, she shaped like she will appreciate a longer trip than this initial 10f distance.

GALEN

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Position: 2nd, Barronstown Stud Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden

The Gleneagles colt did best of those from off the pace in a race where it really paid to race handily and he finished to best effect of all in this 13-runner field. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth behind here all represented good yards and had previous experience and Galen is one of Joseph O’Brien’s seven entries in the National Stakes.

O’Brien has a striker-rate of 11.8% in Curragh maidens and has only sent out six first-time out winners here so far, including subsequent Group One winner Thunder Moon. The fact that Galen did so well her and finished to such effect – and only behind Ballydoyle’s well-touted City Of Troy – suggests he is potentially well above average.

ROSSCARBERY

Trainer: Paddy Twomey

Finishing position: 4th, Yulong Pretty Polly Stakes

Never Ending Story was going quite well before the winner Via Sistina came across her in the closing stages and Wayne Lordan was easy on the Ballydoyle filly in final furlong, but Rosscarbery suffered the more serious interference to these eyes - unfortunate in the race for a second year in a row – and her response was notable.

She is a stronger stayer than most of these and the suspicion is that they may have gone a tad hard here given the winner and runner-up were out the back for most of the way, while Trevaunance was up in the van and faded a bit late on.

Rosscarbery is a potent force at Group Three level and now has several good runs to her name at the top level. Twomey will presumably looking for a Group success but may look for a Group Two first. The Blandford Stakes back here on Longines Irish Champions Weekend may be on the itinerary.

ALFRED MUNNINGS

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Finishing position: 3rd, Paddy Power International Stakes

The Galileo colt was beaten a long way on this three-year-old debut, though he travelled quite well on this return and went past the more than useful Layfayette and Self Belief quite nicely before just tiring a bit late on but still sticking on for third.

This effort probably looks modest enough in paper, but the winner is thriving and had the run of things up front and Alfred Munnings shaped like he retains ability and that he would improve for this return. There’s a chance he could be underestimated a tad next time if he steps forward from this in the expected manner.

LORD VADER

Trainer: Emmet Mullins

Finishing position: 4th, Kildare Villages Ladies Derby Handicap

The four-year-old ran on in eye-catching fashion in this handicap and his profile suggests he has more to offer on several counts.

By Ulysses and out of a German-bred dam, Lord Vader showed improvement for stepping up to 10 furlongs for the first time and ran on strongly down the outside in what looked a quickening pace in which it would have been harder to make up ground. This was also his first try on better ground and he’s unexposed in these conditions.

Interestingly, it was also his first try in a tongue-tie. It’s not something Mullins tends to use particularly often but it’s something to note when the trainer does; he’s sent out 5 winners from 33 such runners, with a win-and-place strike-rate of nearly 50% (+£13.91, 1.04 A/E).

GHOST DANCE

See how Ghost Dance went behind winner Pink Sorrel at the Curragh

Trainer: Andy Oliver

Finishing position: 3rd, Ornella Underwriting Ltd Bloodstock & Equine Insurance Irish EBF Maiden Auction Maiden

This was a nice start from the Sioux Nation filly, even given the fact that the yard seems to be enjoying a good spell currently.

Oliver has sent out two winners and two more placed runners in the past 10 days and that’s a decent amount of a yard that averages around 10 Turf winners a year across the last decade, but Ghost Dance did well to figure here from rivals from decent yards and with plenty of experience already in the book.

He broke well from a decent draw but was a tad keen and not knocked about at all in the closing stages and this was just a nice start.

There is a maiden over an extended mile at the Galway Festival that Oliver seemingly likes to target on the final day of the meeting. He’s had no winners from nine runners in it, but four have placed and at odds of 20-1, 16-1, 14-1 and 8-1. It will be interesting to see if Ghost Dance heads there next.

IMMELMAN

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Finishing position: 6th, DMG Media Irish EBF Handicap

This was a very eye-catching stable debut and he appeals as a massive player for the valuable amateur riders’ handicap and day-one feature at the Galway Festival after this.

Immelman was just too far back on this first run for 616 and in a race that was a dash for home – the field stacked up turning for home – and the five-year-old fared best of those from the rear by some way, finishing strongly and upsides the fifth-placed horse a few strides after the line.

Mullins won this race last year with Maze Runner, who went on to finish second in the race at 16/1 last term – behind handicap blot Echoes In Rain from the same stable!

Immelman is bred for stamina on both sides of the pedigree and, given Mullins’ record in the Galway race, it is feasible this run was with a view to that assignment. He has a rating of 78 currently and he should be in the ballpark of the ratings of previous winners (83 for Coltor in 2021, 83 for Princess Zoe in 2020, 80 for Great White Shark in 2019, 81 for Uradel in 2018 and 84 for Whiskey Sour in 2017).

Mullis runs plenty in the race – he had seven in it last year, six in the previous campaign and five in the running before that as well as at least three in each of the last six years – but Immelman is likely to be among the foremost contenders for Closutton this year.

ZABEIR

Zabeir ran a fine race for the second time in three days on Sunday

Trainer: Donal Kinsella

Finishing position: 3rd, Dubai Duty Free Derby Festival Handicap

His second excellent run in three days – both at this meeting – Zabeir ran well from the back of the field and hit the line strongly. Has options at both seven furlongs and a mile and he’s building up a really solid record for his trainer, the grey being beaten under three lengths on four of his five starts for Kinsella despite going off at 33-1, 25/1 and 16-1 and in big Curragh handicaps.

Kinsella has a notable record at Irish Flat headquarters and especially in course handicaps – since 2010, he’s had 63 such runners and sent out seven winners with a further 12 placed (30% win and place) for a level stakes profit of +£95.00 (1.43 A/E).

Zabeir will likely be kept to the Curragh give he’s run well here in both handicaps start, beating 30 out of a total 34 rivals. He’s one to note for a trainer that is underestimated at this track.

ZOFFMAN

Trainer: Noel Meade

Finishing position: 2nd, Dubai Duty Free Irish EBF “Ragusa” Handicap

He made notable progress right from the back of the field in this finale to the three days and, for all that Noel Meade can ready one after an absence and the trainer is known for the good early-season performance of his jumps string, Zoffman is still entitled to improve for this first run for 238 days.

Zoffman can go on slightly quicker ground than this and may also go up in trip from this 10-furlong distance. The valuable Guinness Handicap over 1m4f at the Galway Festival has proven a regular next destination for the main players in this race, while also-rans have also gone on to run well at Leopardstown – where Zoffman is already a winner – in either the Stanerra Stakes over 1m6f or the “Nasrullah” Handicap over 1m2f.