 |
|
|
|
|
Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby |
Treasure Beach Takes Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
26/06/11
1 Treasure Beach 7/2
2 Seville 5/1
3 Memphis Tennessee 10/1
8 ran Distances: ¾l, 1l, nk
TIME 2m 33.26s (slow by 1.26s)
Epsom runner-up Treasure Beach went one place better to give Aidan O'Brien his ninth victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh, with the Queen's Carlton House only fourth.
 |
Colm O'Donoghue settled the 7-2 chance in fourth for much of the mile-and-a-half contest, with his stablemate Memphis Tennessee setting the pace, and there were plenty in with chances turning for home.
But Carlton House could not pick up when it mattered and it was Seville and Treasure Beach who fought out the finish, with the latter getting on top by three-quarters of a length close home. Memphis Tennessee made it an amazing 1-2-3 for the O'Brien yard.
O'Brien, winning an incredible sixth consecutive Irish Derby, said: "Memphis Tennesse set a nice, even pace and it seemed to suit all the horses. Colm was excellent on Treasure Beach and settled him beautifully before producing him brilliantly.
"Treasure Beach has progressed with every run and he has a few options now - he could go for the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, the King George (Ascot), or else he could have a break before coming back for the second half of the season.
"We are very lucky in that his owners have decided to keep their horses in training as four-year-olds, and that gives us options with giving the three-year-olds breaks.
"Seville threw us with his disappointing run at Epsom, but he returned to form and he's a possible for the Grand Prix de Paris. Memphis Tennessee will probably have a break now and will probably run in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in August."
Treasure Beach's success represented a career highlight for O'Donoghue, who said: "I've been riding out at Ballydoyle since I was 15 and I'm very grateful to the owners. It's a feeling of relief more than anything else as I had been placed in the race a number of times.
"I was confident coming here as I learned more about the horse after Epsom. I won a French Guineas before, but this means an awful lot to me."
John Warren, racing manager for the Queen, said Carlton House ran "flat" and is likely to be dropped in distance to a mile and a quarter.
TREASURE BEACH GIVES EPSOM DERBY FORM BOOST WITH CURRAGH SUCCESS
Treasure Beach is 5-1 (from 7-1) with MansionBet for the St Leger, and 20-1 (from 25-1) for the Qatar Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe following his win in this afternoon's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Pour Moi, who beat Treasure Beach into second place in the Investec Derby, is 4-1 joint favourite for the Arc, along with last year's winner Workforce. The latter is also 13-8 joint market leader for the Coral-Eclipse, the same price as So You Think, while Snow Fairy is 6-1 for the Sandown highlight.
Elsewhere, Sarafina is 7-1 (from 10-1) for the Longchamp highlight following her victory in the Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud.
“Treasure Beach has given Pour Moi's Epsom win a huge boost, and while the latter deserves his position at the head of the Arc betting, the Irish Derby winner could bid for more Classic success at Doncaster in September," said Coral's David Stevens.
"Snow Fairy would be a superb addition to the Coral-Eclipse field, but with connections also having the option of the Lancashire Oaks, we feel it is only fair to offer the non-runner no bet concession on our flagship sponsorship from Monday," said Coral's David Stevens.
**Coral-Eclipse - Non runner no bet
13-8 So You Think, Workforce, 6-1 Snow Fairy, 14-1 Cityscape, 16-1 Twice Over, Zoffany, 20-1 Roderic O'Connor, 25-1 Bar
**Darley July Cup
4-1 Delegator, 13-2 Star Witness, 9-1 Zoffany, 10-1 Bated Breath, Dream Ahe ad, Elzaam, Society Rock, 14-1 Genki, 16-1 Dalghar, Laddies Poker Two, Mark ab, Monsieur Chevalier, Regal Parade, War Artist, 20-1 Bar
**Ladbrokes St Leger
7-2 Nathaniel, 5-1 Treasure Beach, 7-1 Brown Panther, 8-1 Memphis Tennessse e, Sea Moon, 10-1 Fiorente, 16-1 Namibian, Solar Sky
