Irish Derby 2018 Preview And Tip

This weekend is one of the most important in the Irish racing calendar with the Irish Derby the feature race at the Curragh. This year’s renewal looks a very competitive one, though the bookies would have you believe that Saxon Warrior is a near certainty to make amends for his Epsom disappointment behind Masar. Dee Ex Bee is a bigger price than Saxon Warrior and given how easily he beat the O’Brien horse in the English Derby (3L) I think odds of 4/1 represent value.
 

Saxon Warrior looks too short a price after Epsom.

The booking of Frankie Dettori for Knight To Behold catches the eye, and he could bounce back with a big run at odds of 20/1 after a bitterly disappointing display at Epsom. He looked a smart colt when beating Kew Gardens easily at Lingfield and he remains unbeaten on good to firm ground. He could be better suited by a more conventional track like the Curragh too, so he shouldn’t be discounted.

The 1-2-5 home in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot, Old Persian, Rostropovich and Delano Roosevelt could renew rivalries again on Saturday and both O’Brien horses endured relatively troubled passages in comparison to the Godolphin horse and I think they could reverse the form. Of those two Delano Roosevelt is preferred, but the one I am sweet on is the horse that was 8th home in the Epsom Derby, The Pentagon.

This son of Galileo was sweating up badly in the preliminaries before Epsom and for that reason, and because of the ease in the ground, I am putting a line through that run. He was previously a decent 3rd in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown (10f gd) behind Hazapour and Delano Roosevelt, keeping on well but just done for a turn of foot in the last 150 yards or so. He had previously finished well beaten behind Nelson, but that was on heavy ground.

The Pentagon finished 3rd behind Saxon Warrior and Roaring Lion in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on his final 2yo start (8f gd/sft) and he was only 2.75L behind the winner. Those two weren’t pulling away from him either and considering there was quite an ease in the ground I think that was an excellent effort. He will get proper quick ground at the Curragh on Saturday and I reckon that will bring the best out of him.

The Pentagon is a danger to all back on good to firm ground.

His sole start on good to firm came over 7f at the Curragh on just his second career start and he demolished the field by nearly 9L. He demonstrated that was no fluke with a Group 3 win at Leopardstown next time over the same trip and he has yet to finish out of the first three when there has been no mention of soft in the ground description (form figures of 113).

He is regally bred, as one would expect with a horse from Ballydoyle, by Galileo and out of an Unfuwain mare who was a Group 1 winner at 10f on good ground (won maiden over 12f). Unfuwain was by the great Northern Dancer, the sire of Sadlers Wells, a horse that helped put Coolmore on the map. Hopefully The Pentagon is left in at the declaration stage tomorrow, and if he is I think he has solid each way claims at odds of 25/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: IRISH DERBY-THE PENTAGON E/W @ 25/1