Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s
Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Ruler of the World heads a field of
nine entered for Saturday’s Group 1 Irish Derby at The Curragh, with no
surprise defectors at Thursday’s declaration stage. Drawn in eight, the
unbeaten Group 1 Derby hero will be aided by stablemate Festive Cheer as he bids for the double.
Godolphin will also be
represented by a pair of runners, supporting their newly acquired Epsom
runner-up Libertarian with the supplemented Cap O’Rushes. The former is drawn in two, with Michael O’Flynn’s Derby third Galileo Rock breaking against the
fence.
One who will start as an outsider is Neil Jones’ Little White Cloud, who represents the John Oxx stable successful with Sinndar and Alamshar in 2000 and 2003. While this colt lacks the previous
strong form of that duo, he was an encouraging third behind Battle of Marengo
in Leopardstown’s
Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial on May 12 and second to Leading Light in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes
at The Curragh a fortnight later. Little White Cloud is bred to appreciate
this extra two furlongs of the Irish Derby.
“Stepping up to
a mile and a half should really suit him, being from the same family as
Millenary and all those good stayers,” jockey Declan McDonogh said. “He wasn’t far behind
Battle of Marengo, and we think he’s improved a lot since then. He put up a good
show against Leading Light, who went and won the (Group 3) Queen’s Vase.
“He’s tough
and he handles fast ground, so hopefully they won’t get too much rain.”
On that
subject, the track’s manager Paul Hensey was on hand to provide an update
Thursday.
“We had a bit of rain at the weekend and just under 3.5 mm this morning and I
reckon we’ll be starting the meeting, certainly on the straight course, on good
ground,” he said. “It’s a cracking race, you can make a case for five or six.”
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