Now is the time of year that many of us start to think about Epsom and the 2 biggest Classics of the English season. Ireland also has a Derby (Saturday July 1st) though and the race is of similar status. Our ante-post market is already live, so let’s look at some of the leading contenders for the Curragh’s most-important race…
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Age: 3 (Foaled March 19th, 2014)
Sex: Bay Colt
Breeding: Galileo (IRE) – Kitty Kiernan (Pivotal)
Trainer: A P O’Brien
Owner: D Smith/mme J Magnier/m T
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this colt will need to show a great deal more than we have seen so far if he is going to win a contest as prestigious as this. Orderofthegarter won the 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes, at Leopardstown, but was relatively disappointing in the Essai Poulains and won’t find the Irish Derby any less demanding.
Rivet (IRE)
Age: 3 (Foaled April 3rd, 2014)
Sex: Bay Colt
Breeding: Fastnet Rock (AUS) – Starship (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Trainer: W J Haggas
Owner: The Starship Partnership
Made all to win last season’s Racing Post Trophy and only Eminent was too good for him in the Craven Stakes, where War Decree finished a well-beaten 6th. Performed well-enough, when 3rd in the Essai Poulains and William Haggas’ inmate has the ability to go very close. English trainers have not enjoyed a great deal of success in the Irish Derby, however.
Money has also come in for Yucatan, Capri and Andre Fabre’s German colt Waldgeist.
Racing In Ireland
RaceBets offer betting on all Irish racing and here is a quick guide to some of the other famous racecourses, located on the Emerald Isle…
Clonmel Racecourse is in Tipperary and is used for both National Hunt and flat racing. The track is one and a quarter miles, and is right-handed.
Cork Racecourse is at Mallow, in County Cork. This is a one and a half mile right-handed track. Steeplechases have run here, since the middle of the Eighteenth Century.
Both horses and greyhounds are run at Dundalk, which also has a polytrack surface. This enables evening racing. The Diamond Stakes (a group three race) is held here.
Fairyhouse has the honour of hosting the Irish Grand National. You will find this course in County Meath. It’s a right-handed course and just over one mile and six furlongs, in length.
Galway Racecourse (known as Ballybrit) is famous for the Galway Plate and the Galway Hurdle. The one mile and two furlong track is right handed and has a steep finish.
Gowran Park is in County Kilkenny. Racing has been held here since 1914. The Thyestes Chase is held here and Arkle won this race, in 1964.
Kilbeggan Racecourse, in Westmeath, is right-handed, and just one mile and one furlong.
Killarney Racecourse, in Kerry, is left-handed and one mile and two furlongs.
Laytown is a beach course in Meath. It is a straight seven furlong course.
Leopardstown Racecourse is just south of Dublin. The Irish Champion Stakes and Matron Stakes are held here. The course is based on the Sandown race track, in Great Britain.
Limerick Racecourse holds both jumps and flat races, on a one mile and three furlong right-handed oval track.
Listowel Racecourse, in Kerry. is a one mile left-handed track.
The racecourse at Naas (Kildare) is left-handed and has a steep uphill finish.
Navan Racecourse (Meath) is one and a half miles long, and left-handed.
Punchestown Racecourse (Kildare) is Ireland’s major jump racing course. The Champion Chase and the Gold Cup are held here. The Punchestown Festival is Ireland’s equivalent of Cheltenham and is held in April.
Roscommon Racecourse, in the county of Roscommon, is one miles and two furlongs and right-handed.
Sligo Racecourse is a one mile right-handed track, staging both National Hunt and flat racing.
Tipperary Racecourse is left-handed and the distance is one mile and two furlongs. There is also a five furlong track for sprinting.
Thurles Racecourse is also in Tipperary. The right-handed oval is one and a quarter miles in length.
Tramore Racecourse (Waterford) is a one mile right-handed circuit.
Wexford Racecourse is one mile and four furlongs and is right-handed. Racing has been taking place here since 1870.
Betting With RaceBets
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