Aidan O'Brien has supplemented Epsom Oaks winner Tuesday for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.
One of 16 horses going forward for the weekend’s highlight, she will be ridden by Ryan Moore as she bids to become the third horse to win the Oaks and the Irish Derby after success in both races for Salsabil in 1990 and Balanchine four years later.
O'Brien, a record-breaking 14-time winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, has also left Anchorage, Changingoftheguard, Stone Age and Temple Of Artemis in the race with Epsom Derby third Westover, trained by Ralph Beckett and the mount of champion jockey Colin Keane, heading a British-trained challenge that also includes David Menuisier’s Lionel.
Donnacha and Joseph O'Brien are well represented, with Piz Badile set to run for the younger sibling and Hannibal Barca, winner of the Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh on his first start in Ireland last month, Buckaroo and Vega Magnifico possible runners for his brother. Paddy Twomey’s French Claim remains in contention along with Jim Bolger’s Boundless Ocean and Manu Et Corde, the Dermot Weld-trained Duke De Sessa and Andy Oliver’s Glory Daze.
The Group 2 GAIN Railway Stakes heads up Saturday’s supporting card and Aidan O'Brien holds another strong hand with Royal Ascot’s Windsor Castle Stakes winner Little Big Bear and Coventry Stakes fourth Blackbeard standing their ground, with Michael O'Callaghan’s Norfolk Stakes third Crispy Cat and John O’Donoghue’s Chesham Stakes runner-up Pearling Path also among the 12 contenders.
There are 13 horses going forward for Saturday’s ARM Holding International Stakes with last season’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Mac Swiney and Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Helvic Dream, trained by Jim Bolger and Noel Meade respectively, potential rivals for the likes of Gear Up and Patrick Sarsfield from the Joseph O'Brien yard, the Michael Halford-trained Bear Story and Paddy Twomey’s Rumbles Of Thunder.
The Twomey-trained Rosscarbery has been supplemented for the Group 1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes, the feature race on the Curragh’s Sunday card. Unbeaten in four starts this season, she could be joined in the race by her stable companion La Petite Coco.
In opposition might be the recent Longchamp Group 1 winner Above The Curve, trained by Joseph O'Brien and Aidan O'Brien’s Concert Hall. From across the Irish Sea, David Simcock’s Ad Infinitum is one of four potential challengers along with the Ed Walker-trained Dreamloper, winner of the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp last time, and two from the William Haggas stable, My Astra and Purplepay.
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