Sunday’s Irish Derby under-card features the Group 2 Railway Stakes for two-year-olds, the 6f Listed Dash Stakes and the Listed Celebration Stakes over a mile.
Aidan O'Brien is triple-handed in the 6f Group 2 Railway Stakes (1:50) and aims for a record-matching fourteenth victory in the race. Ballydoyle have not won the contest since Painted Cliffs in 2015 but Unquestionable heads the top of the market in this year's renewal. Third behind re-opposing stablemate His Majesty in the Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh on debut, the Wootton Bassett colt relished the step up to six furlongs when scoring by four-and-a-quarter lengths over course and distance in a competitive maiden.
Amo Racing are enjoying an excellent season with juvenile winners and Bucanero Fuerte was a comfortable victor of a Curragh maiden over five furlongs on debut. Also sired by Wootton Bassett, the colt produced a big performance to finish third in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes where he seemed to improve for the extra furlong. He's a full brother to Group 1 winning sprinter Wooded and there's likely plenty more to come from him.
WIN: BUCANERO FUERTE
The three-year-olds could be hard to beat in the 1m Listed Celebration Stakes (5:25) with fast-finishing Irish 1000 Guineas fourth Tarawa heading the betting. She won a thirteen-runner maiden as a juvenile at Leopardstown and returned after a break with a second in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes. She's ready to break through at Stakes level.
Salt Lake City could form part of a successful day for Aidan O'Brien and the colt returns to a mile after a close second in the Listed Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown on seasonal reappearance. His best form has probably come over this distance and he already looks a better horse as a three-year-old.
However, Lord Massusus is given slender preference to out-run odds of 10/1 with further improvement expected returning to a mile. He was a two-time winner as a juvenile and has been unbeaten in two starts at three, including in a six-furlong premier handicap at Naas where he overcame traffic in-running. Jockey Gary Carroll knows him well and he could well be underestimated.
WIN: LORD MASSUSUS
The 6f Listed Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes (2:25) looks like a good opportunity for Commanche Falls to get back to winning ways. The Michael Dods trained six-year-old has posted some excellent performances in defeat so far this season, including a close third in the Group 2 Clipper Stakes at York behind Azure Blue and a solid second-place finish behind Garrus in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket.
His main opposition appears to be Ano Syra, who finished a well-beaten third over course and distance in the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes on seasonal reappearance. She dropped back to five furlongs when second in the Listed Midsummer Sprint Stakes at Cork subsequently and looks marginally better over the shorter trip.
WIN: COMMANCHE FALLS
In the 7f Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Premier Handicap (4:50), Joseph O'Brien has the top two in the market. Second favourite Adelaise returns to seven furlongs after two excellent runs in big handicaps for the yard, including an eye-catching fourth in the Kensington Palace Fillies Stakes at Royal Ascot. Stablemate Yerwanthere was similarly eye-catching in the aforementioned Royal Ascot
race and although there shouldn't be much between the pair once more, slender preference goes the way of the former who could do better with the hood removed this time around.
WIN: ADELAISE
RACE 1 – BUCANERO FUERTE
RACE 2 – COMMANCHE FALLS
RACE 3 – RUN RAN RUN
RACE 4 – WHITE BIRCH
RACE 5 - CHAZZESMEE
RACE 6 - ADELAISE
RACE 7 – LORD MASSUSUS
RACE 8 - SAFECRACKER
