John Oxx’s brilliant colt Sea The Stars is among 17 entries for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday 26th June. The Derby and 2000 Guineas can add yet another classic to his roll of honour. At 1.86 on Betfair there could be some value for a horse that looks the real deal!
2000 Guineas, Derby now Irish Derby?
This son of Cape Cross has two Classics to his name already this season having become the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to claim the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Derby at Epsom. Now he will run on his home turf in Ireland in the Irish Derby.
Many of those who took him on at Epsom could try their luck again, including Aidan O’Brien’s second Fame And Glory, third home Masterofthehorse and fifth home Golden Sword. They can’t beat this wonder horse can they? If you think so then LAY Sea the Stars on Betfair!
O’Brien has also left in Byzantine, Drumbeat, Freemantle, Hail Caesar, Malibu Bay, Rockhampton and Set Sail giving him no less than 10 contenders, but only one can win it and I would rather have one Sea the Stars than 100 others.
The Jim Bolger-trained Gan Amhras will look to run better than the disappointing effort at Epsom and may be joined by stablemate Ard Na Greine, while Oxx also has two chances having left in Mourayan. No one will seriously think they can beat Sea the Stars.
Loch Long, Recharge and The Bull Hayes are the other entries.
Betfair Odds
Sea the Stars – 1.86
Fame and Glory – 4.3
Masterofthehorse- 6.6
22 Bar
Paddy Power Odds
Paddy Power: 4-6 Sea The Stars, 11-4 Fame And Glory, 4 Masterofthehorse, 12 Gan Amhras, 16 Mourayan, Recharge, 50 Drumbeat, Freemantle, The Bull Hayes, 100 Ard Na Greine, 200 Hail Caesar, Malibu Bay, Rockhampton, 500 Byzantine, Loch Long, Set Sail
Will Sea The Stars Run?
A favourable weather forecast is positive for the chances to Sea The Stars running in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Sunday.
The colt’s trainer John Oxx had said the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown as a potential alternative target for his brilliant dual classic hero if ground conditions turned against him at the weekend.
However Paul Hensey, racecourse manager at the Curragh, told At The Races (Sky 415):
“John did express some concern, as he did before Epsom, that he may miss the race if the ground was soft. However we are currently good to firm and the forecast is for mostly dry and settled weather throuh the week. That would point to Sea The Stars running here.”
