IRISH DERBY PREVIEW:IT TAKES a special horse to win any classic, never mind two, but it takes a pretty unique animal to do what New Approach may accomplish tomorrow if getting the chance to run in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

Despite his late injury scare, New Approach is still among a dozen horses due to line up for Ireland's most prestigious prize, with champion trainer Aidan O'Brien pitching in a team of five alongside both Tartan Bearer and Casual Conquest, who are hoping to reverse Epsom Derby form with the hot favourite.

However you look at the race though, it's hard to escape the conclusion that New Approach could be a stand out for the lion's share of the E1.5 million pot - if he's one hundred per cent fit after last evening's drama.

Mind you, Jim Bolger's enigmatic chestnut star has always been that little bit different. Even through an unbeaten five race juvenile career that made him Europe's champion two year old there were signs of a temperament that remains resolutely out of the ordinary.

Whether it was a reluctance to walk under an archway or an awkward head carriage that many took as a negative sign for the future, New Approach has always been his own man. There were also signs of that singular outlook at Epsom. That attitude can make it a helter-skelter ride for his supporters nerves but more often than not he toughs it out. And tough will be the optimum word tomorrow.

Grundy (1975) and The Minstrel (1977), ironically both chestnuts too, won Irish Derbies after taking part in both the English and Irish Guineas as well as at Epsom but it remains a major ask of any horse to shine in four classics in a row.

In comparison, past Irish Derby winners like New Approach's sire Galileo, who followed the trial route to Epsom, got off pretty lightly. But as last night's injury drama proves, doing things easy doesn't appear to be in New Approach's make up.

For further proof of that, all one has to do is look back at Epsom three weeks ago and goggle in astonishment again at what he did. In the furore surrounding the build up to the race, both Kevin Manning's ride and the horse's performance were almost pushed to the side.

In fact Manning proved a big race temperament around the course that would have done justice to Piggott. But what New Approach did just simply shouldn't have happened.

Even in an ordinary race, horses that pull as hard as New Approach did in the early stages of Epsom, aren't supposed to figure at the end. Throw some interference into the pot as well and there really should have been nothing left for the straight and the run-down of Tartan Bearer. That he did run the English star down, and that he managed to pass the line looking as if there was still gas in the tank, was mind-boggling.

Usually after such a hard race, which in turn came on the back of two Guineas defeats by Henrthenavigator, there would be an understandable worry about tomorrow being one classic stop too many.

But New Approach appears to be such a singular talent that Tartan Bearer and the rest still look to face an enormous task. Michael Stoute's Epsom runner up ran a blinder three weeks ago, considering his inexperience, but if there is to be a colt to poop on the New Approach party tomorrow it may be one from closer to home.

In contrast to his compatriot, Casual Conquest travelled beautifully throughout at Epsom only to look comparatively one-paced when the taps were fully turned on. This stiffer track and possibly softer ground will play to his stamina more and Dermot Weld's willingness to go again is significant.

There also appears to be some confidence at Ballydoyle in the chances of Alessandro Volta getting a lot closer to New Approach than he did at Epsom where he didn't secure a clear run. He is also the in-form John Murtagh's selection of the O'Brien quintet.

But Epsom proved we are dealing with a unique talent in New Approach. With a pacemaker, Upton Grey, on his side this time, and playing on his home patch, even a less than perfect preparation may not be enough to stop him.

Late injury scare throws a cloud over Irish Derby

A possible late injury scare may dramatically rule the Epsom Derby hero New Approach out of an attempt on tomorrow's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. Jim Bolger faces making a late decision on whether or not the colt, who had been a 4 to 5 favourite to complete the Derby double, will run or not.

"New Approach is not one hundred per cent comfortable in his box this evening. We are not sure of the extent of the problem. It appears it may be a foot bruise but we will know more tomorrow evening," said Bolger yesterday.

Injury problems on the eve of the Derby are not unknown and Alamshar's 2003 win proved it isn't a barrier to success. Alamshar received physio up to the morning of the race due to a back problem that left his trainer John Oxx describing the horse as only "50-50" the day before. The 1989 winner Old Vic was also a doubt up to the eve of the race due to a warble problem. Sheikh Mohammed, who owned Old Vic, bought a half share of New Approach earlier this year and the horse races in the colours of his wife, Princess Haya of Jordan.

Brian O'Connor's Derby verdict

1 New Approach

2 Casual Conquest

3 Alessandro Volta