Over the past 21 years, twelve inmates of Ballydoyle Stables at Cashel in County Tipperary in Ireland, presided over by Aidan O’Brien, have had their names inscribed on the scroll of honour of the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Irish Derby (Gr.1; 1m. 4f.). The latest renewal of the race at The Curragh is scheduled for Saturday, June 30^th, at 5:15 p.m. local time (9:45 p.m. in India), and has drawn a dozen contenders, including a quartet from Ballydoyle. The race is richly-endowed, with guaranteed prize money of €1,500,000 (a shade over Rs.12 crores). Incidentally, the track is in the last stages of a major renovation and might be able to accommodate only about a quarter of the usual attendance this year.

Eighteen three-year-olds have completed the Epsom Derby-Irish Derby double, but there is not going to be a nineteenth this time around as the hero of the former event, Masar, has been removed from consideration as he is biding his time for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on July 7^th. 

Hot favourite here to make amends for his Epsom defeat is Aidan O’Brien’s Saxon Warrior (by Deep Impact), on offer at the Shylockian price of 8 to 13. Unbeaten prior to that costly loss – which was attributed to an inability to act of the undulating Epsom track – the colt is indeed high class but hardly merits a wager at the price. The risk-reward ratio seems rather low. That said, he might win by a street under Ryan Moore – he certainly has the aptitude!

Ballydoyle routinely runs more than one runner in the big races, and this year sends out a trio to accompany Saxon Warrior. This does not necessarily reflect adversely on that runner's ability; rather it provides the team with an opportunity to pick up some valuable prize money as well as some potential capital appreciation.

Heading the supporting cast is Delano Roosevelt (by Galileo), a 20 to 1 chance under Seamie Heffernan, who was a faraway sixth at Epsom. Then comes the 25 to 1 hope, The Pentagon (by Galileo), who has about 16 lengths to make up on his last run, also at Epsom. Wayne Lordan will be in charge. Finally, Rostropovich (by Galileo) – who missed Epsom but ran at Royal Ascot (he was second) – has been paired with Padraig Beggy and is on offer at the same price as The Pentagon.

Aidan O’Brien faces something of an internal challenge too – his sons have teamed up to train (Joseph) and ride (Donnacha) the Australian-owned Latrobe (by Camelot). This progressive sort has run 1-2 in all his four lifetime starts. Perhaps one will hear more of him later in the year, as several here seem to be superior, not least Platinum Warrior (by Galileo), who beat him fair and square in the Gallinule Stakes on this track at the end of May. Shane Foley steers Michael Halford’s ward.

A twenty year drought for residents of British stables came to an end when John Gosden shipped across Jack Hobbs, who found his way to the winner's enclosure in 2015. A trio makes the journey across the Irish Sea this time. Leading the contingent is Mark Johnston’s Dee Ex Bee (by Farhh), runner-up to Masar at Epsom, who bids to go one better here. The effervescent Silvestre De Sousa is in the saddle and some feel the 4 to 1 Dee Ex Bee is a more likely winner than the favourite – after all, he did beat him by about 3 lengths when they clashed on the Downs.

The second British-trained runner is Charlie Appleby’s Old Persian (by Dubawi), who has been supplemented by Godolphin in place of Masar. In fine form in 2018, the progressive bay comes here off a comfortable win in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot just 8 days ago. William Buick has matured into a fine rider and takes the reins as expected on the 10 to 1 candidate. Meanwhile Harry Dunlop has secured the services of Frankie Dettori for Knight To Behold (by Sea The Stars), quoted at 20 to 1. The colt could not cope with the demands of Epsom but has the glimmer of a chance on his Lingfield beating of Kew Gardens, who franked the form so decisively last week.

The locally-based Dermot Weld triumphed with Harzand a couple of years ago and sends out the unbeaten Bandua (by The Factor), a half-brother to Sarvang Stud’s stallion, Tale Of A Champion. The Calumet Farm representative is making a big jump in class and hence has been dismissed by the market as being worthy of a quote no better than 33 to 1. Regular rider Declan McDonogh will remain at the controls.

A professional tipster selected three longshots at the Royal Ascot meeting last week and all came up trumps! His choice here? The 66 to 1 Carlo Biragi (by Galileo), who has Coolmore connections. Tommy Stack, long associated with that outfit, schools him and has put up Chris Hayes who will somehow have to squeeze out a level of form about 30 rating points in excess of what he has demonstrated so far.

The only contender left to come under the scanner is the longest shot of all, the 100 to 1 Theobald (by Teofilo), whose form this season reads 7,7,7. Frankly if he is in the first seven, it will be something of a turn-up for Jim Bolger’s home-bred chestnut!

Purely on form at Group 1 level, it lies between Dee Ex Bee and Saxon Warrior and it’s hard to see how anything else can prevail, barring perhaps Old Persian.