Irish Derby news: North Light remains an odds-on favourite to provide the British champion jockey Kieren Fallon with a first ever victory in the Budweiser Irish Derby.
The Michael Stoute-trained colt is as low as 4 to 6 with Paddy Power despite a total of 13 entries remaining in the Derby after yesterday's forfeit stage.
As expected Godolphin's Epsom runner-up Rule Of Law has been supplemented into the race at a cost of 95,000 and Let The Lion Roar, third on that occasion, is also an intended starter.
Another entry is Percussionist, who ran fourth at Epsom, and his trainer John Gosden has also decided to test the Curragh waters with Day Flight, who ran fourth in the French Derby on his previous start.
The betting is dominated by cross-channel based horses despite Balanchine in 1994 being the last winner trained in Britain.
That filly remains Frankie Dettori's sole Irish Derby success but he will be on board Rule Of Law on Sunday.
"North Light looks the best three-year-old at a mile and a half but you can't be frightened of one horse," the Italian jockey said yesterday. "He could have an off day and we could come good."
Dettori has won the Derby once already, but Fallon has an abysmal record in Ireland's principal Classic in his three rides to date in the race. The sorry record is made up of Princely Venture (last in 2002), Genghis Khan (second last in 1999) and Sadian (last in 1998).
North Light, however, is by far his best chance and the Stoute horse will bid to become the 15th to complete the Epsom-Irish Derby double.
Stoute provided two of those double winners in Shergar (1981) and Shahrastani (1986) and also scored with Shareef Dancer in 1983.
Another triple Derby winner is Aidan O'Brien, who supplies six of the 13 left in the big race. They include the King Edward VII Stakes winner Five Dynasties as well as O'Brien's other Royal Ascot hero Moscow Ballet.
Those two, plus Tycoon, Book Of Kings and Meath, also figure among the entries for the Group One Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Sunday.
Dermot Weld won the Derby with the 20 to 1 shot Zagreb in 1996 and will rely this time on Grey Swallow, who has been steadily backed down to 8 to 1 in recent days.
One French-trained horse, the Alain de Royer-Dupre runner Dalayan, figured among the 13 but he was declared by mistake.
The main supporting race on Sunday is the Railway Stakes which features an entry for the unbeaten Norfolk Stakes winner Blue Dakota.
The 13 entries also include the unbeaten O'Brien-trained Russian Blue, who missed Ascot with a foot problem. Weld's hope for this race is the Rochestown Stakes winner Man O World.
IRISH DERBY BETTING
Paddy Power: 4/6 North Light, 11/2 Let The Lion Roar, 6 Rule Of Law, 8 Grey Swallow, 9 Percussionist, 10 Day Flight, Five Dynasties, 25 Moscow Ballet, 40 Book Of Kings, 50 Mikado, 66 Tycoon, 100 Cobra.
Cashmans: 8/11 North Light, 4 Let The Lion Roar, 13/2 Rule Of Law, 8 Grey Swallow, 9 Percussionist, 10 Aidan O'Brien stable, 12 Day Flight.
