Lambourn completes brilliant derby double

Sunday afternoon’s Irish Derby card at the Curragh brought in a wide variety of results, but if there was one theme to be recognised, it was one of doubles; jockey doubles, double figure odds winners and, most prevalently, the all-important Derby Double.

Read below for a full report of the Curragh card from Sunday, courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latest Galway Festival odds.

The greatly anticipated Irish Derby (4.10), which saw 10 three-year-old colts run the mile and a half course. Three of the field, Pride Of Arras, Sir Dinadan and Lazy Griff, hailed from the UK, while Coolmore had the race firmly under their control, owning 60% of the runners in their various sets of colours. Lambourn, the somewhat unexpected winner of the Epsom Derby, was out and out favourite for the Irish equivalent at 8/13, with the nearest market rival being the 6/1 Tennessee Stud. Having been at the head of the field around the track, kept upsides Sir Dinadan and pestered in the closing stages by Serious Contender, the favourite kept on just enough in the closing stages to eventually win by three quarters of a length, bringing home the Derby Double which Coolmore have become so familiar with over the last 25 years.

The afternoon of top-quality racing began with a premier handicap over a mile and a furlong (1.15), in which Coolmore’s Mississippi River was the clear favourite at the off. The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt led the field the whole way around, but rider Ryan Moore was noticeably dynamic in the saddle from before the three furlong pole. Though he plugged on, the strong-finishing Juddmonte runner, Sujet, who was out of the handicap by a pound, had more left in the tank and got the better of the favourite approaching the line with a starting price of 10/1.

Next was the mile premier handicap (1.50), in which Retracement jumped off as favourite at 4/1. The son of Australia appeared to race awkwardly approaching the line, in addition to suffering a mild bump on the home straight. Too far back to have a chance, the win was taken by front-running Slieve Binnian, who was bottom of the handicap, at 7/1 with 9/2 shot Love Billy Boy chasing him home.

The Listed six-furlong Dash followed (2.25). Shortly after the gates opened, with the field converging on the stands’ side, King Cuan raced solo in the middle of the track under Billy Lee, who gradually brought the gelding back over towards the field where he held on well to claim third place in a high-octane finish. Though the win was between four runners with a furlong still to travel, the 2/1 favourite, Vespertilio, who hasn’t been seen in the winners’ enclosure since her excellent two-year-old campaign, displayed a great attitude to win by a short head.

Race four was the Listed Celebration Stakes, run over a mile (2.55). This race saw Ryan Moore bring in his first winner of the day, in the shape of Skukuza for England-based trainer Ed Dunlop. Jumping out the stalls at 11/4, with the favourite Currawood setting off at 2/1, Skukuza made all and won comfortably, with Alakazi - joint in the market - over two lengths behind him. The favourite was beaten four lengths in total.

The fifth race was the five-furlong Rockingham Handicap (3.30). The field gradually divided into two groups upon the gates opening, leaving the favourite Keke towards the rear of the far bunch. Rider Billy Lee was motionless in the saddle for a while after the other jockeys began riding their mounts for home, and steadily he guided the Edward Lynham-trained gelding into the lead, using his impressive turn of foot, producing a beautifully timed win. The five next horses across the line, Red Evolution, The Highway Rat, Harry’s Hill, Cuban Grey and Apache Outlaw, all did so at double figure odds.

Back into handicaps after the Group One action, the seventh race of the afternoon was the mile and a half premier handicap (4.50). A much more open contest than the previous race, the eventual favourite was 100/30 Beset, from the stable of Joseph O’Brien, in first time cheekpieces. 5/1 shot Cloud Seeker led the field, with 16/1 Mashmoor as back marker. Come the final furlong, the win looked to have gone anywhere, but Jim Bolger’s 20/1 Fleetfoot just managed to edge into the lead and win by a neck under Declan McDonogh, ahead of the favourite back in third place.

The penultimate race was the Summer FIllies and Mares Handicap, run over seven furlongs (5.20). This race was wide open at the off, with three runners heading the market jointly when the stalls opened; Sweet Chariot, Enchanted Garden and Dance Night Andday all at 11/2. The biggest priced of the 12 was Va Va Vroom at 25/1. With a furlong and a half still to travel, it became quite clear that the winner would be 13/2 shot Bellaphina, who showed an incredible turn of foot to go clear of the rest, winning by a length and a quarter ahead of joint favourite Dance Night Andday under three-pound claimer James Ryan.

Finally, the day’s racing came to a close with the extended two-mile Stayers Handicap (5.55). With a very populated field of 25 runners, those from the stables of predominantly jumps trainers were expected to fare best; Willie Mullins’ Too Bossy For Us was the clear favourite at 9/4, with Gavin Cromwell’s Pinot Gris being the next market challenger at 5/1, followed by Gordon Elliott’s Mordor at 7/1. The increasingly prominent Mullins second string, Lot Of Joy, wasn’t for catching in the last furlong, and won ahead of her stablemate, the favourite, by over a length.