Much on offer for Derby weekend
Monday, 13 June 2005 11:31Quality racing and much more besides will be in store for the 140th running of the Irish Derby Festival, which gets underway on Friday June 24.
Blue Square are the title sponsors of Derby Friday with four races including the featured Balanchine Stakes supported by one of Europe's most progressive betting companies.
A packed program of lively entertainment will feature the 1st 'Curragh Big Bash' with special guest Hector O H hEochagain, while live music from the exciting Boogie Nights will take place on a giant stage in the main enclosure directly after racing sponsored by the Kildare Nationalist.
Derby Saturday is all about fillies and fashion with a high quality seven race program starting at 2.15pm featuring the Group 1 Audi Pretty Polly Stakes and Group 3 At The Races sponsored Curragh Cup, while the turftours.com "Fashions on the Turf" Ladies Day competition will also take centre stage with a spectacular holiday of a lifetime to Barbados to be won by the most fashionable lady.
Pat Eddery will be inducted into the Irish Derby Hall of Fame sponsored by Budweiser. Eddery, born and raised in Newbridge, won the race four times on Grundy, El Gran Senor, Commander in Chief and Law Society.
Some of Europe's top performers will line up for the 140th Irish Derby on Sunday, while it will also celebrate the 20th year of the race to be sponsored by Budweiser, who have recently renewed their contract with the Curragh until 2007.
Likely runners include French Derby runner up Hurricane Run, who will aim to give French based trainer Andre Fabre his second success in the ¤1.3 contest.
An Irish Derby 'Legends of the Turf' presentation will honour some of the riders who rode some of the most memorable winners, including Lester Piggott and Willie Carson.
