All the leading fancies remain for Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby after today's acceptance stage. A total of 20 horses, including the first four home in the Vodafone Derby, have been left in for the premier Irish Classic at the Curragh. Sir Michael Stoute's Dilshaan, who finished seventh at Epsom, was the most notable absentee at today's confirmation stage. Aidan O'Brien's Galileo and Epsom runners-up Golan, Tobougg and Mr Combustible head the ante-post market.
Two of the horses, Morshdi and John Oxx's Exaltation, were supplemented at £90,000 each before the noon deadline today. "He's in good form but it's a tough-looking race and I think everything you would expect is more or less left in," said Oxx. "It's going to be tough to get in the money but the horse is well and deserves to take his chance - he has place prospects," he added.
Overnight heavy rain has left the going good in the straight and good to firm on the round course this morning."We've had 10.4mm of rain since early this morning, most it falling before 8am and we've had the odd shower since," explained Morris. "There's a possibility of more heavy showers this evening and the forecast for the rest of the week is fairly unsettled with the possibility of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday but no more than 5mm expected on each of those days. Hopefully, it's then looking drier and brighter for the weekend," he added.
Budweiser Irish Derby: Cashel Bay (L Comer), Denon (J Pease, FR), Dr Brendler (J Hayden), Exaltation (J Oxx), Galileo (A P O'Brien), Giocomo (C O'Brien), Golan (Sir M Stoute, GB), Grandera (J Fanshawe, GB), Ice Dancer (A P O'Brien), Leger (E Lelouche, FR), March King (T Stack), Morshdi (M Jarvis, GB), Mr Combustible (B Hills, GB), Old Kentucky Home (M Zilber, FR), Pebble Island (A P O'Brien), Perfect Sunday (B Hills, GB), Pugin (J Oxx), Pushkin (E Lelouche, FR), Tobougg (S Bin Suroor, GB), Vinnie Roe (D Weld).
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
