Racing

Los Angeles set to lead four-strong Irish Derby bid for Ballydoyle

Ryan Moore will aim for successive triumphs in the race aboard the horse that finished third in the Epsom Derby

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore after winning the Gold Cup with Kyprios on day three of Royal Ascot. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore after winning the Gold Cup with Kyprios on day three of Royal Ascot. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire
Wed Jun 26 2024 - 17:05

Aidan O’Brien will have four runners in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

The news was confirmed via a statement on the Coolmore website on Wednesday afternoon, which outlined Ballydoyle’s plans for the Classic. O’Brien’s quartet of Los Angeles, Grosvenor Square, Euphoric and The Euphrates are all set to start in the 1½ mile showpiece.

After Auguste Rodin’s success last year, Ryan Moore will aim for successive triumphs in the race aboard Epsom Derby third Los Angeles, while Declan McDonagh will partner Euphoric. Wayne Lordan and Dylan Browne McMonagle have been booked to ride Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates respectively.

Agenda and Chief Little Rock are set to be withdrawn when declarations are made on Friday morning.

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O’Brien will cover half of the eight-runner field, with Keeper’s Heart, trained by Ger Lyons, David Menuisier’s Sunway, the Roger Varian-trained Matsuri and James Fanshawe’s ante-post market leader Ambiente Friendly completing the line-up after his fine second to City Of Troy at Epsom.

The statement read: “With declarations for this Sunday’s renewal of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby due on Friday morning, Ballydoyle have confirmed that Los Angeles, Grosvenor Square, Euphoric and The Euphrates will all likely take their place.

“Los Angeles will look to make it back-to-back successes in the Classic under Ryan Moore following Auguste Rodin’s authoritative win in 2023.

“Declan McDonagh will ensure a good even pace aboard Euphoric with Wayne Lordan and Dylan Browne McMonagle aboard the other pair.

“With the request that Ballydoyle run four in the race and with four other likely starters, this will hopefully ensure field size to support the World Pool.”

Meanwhile, connections are hoping The Strikin Viking can be as prolific as the Premier League footballer he was named after when he aims to build on an impressive debut in the Gain Railway Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

The two-year-old is named after Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and his owners, Middleham Park Racing, admitted they saved the moniker for a “nice horse”.

Bought for 65,000 guineas, he was sent to trainer Kevin Ryan and found his feet at home before debuting successfully in a maiden stakes at York earlier this month.

On Tuesday he was supplemented into Sunday’s race, where he could face four O’Brien runners among a total of nine rivals, and director of Middleham Park Racing Tim Palin believes he has “earned his stripes” for a step up to Pattern company.

“He’s in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly in July, obviously a race like the Gimcrack would be the dream, if he went back to the Knavesmire and at least run in that, let alone pull it off, if he could finish in the frame there that would be some achievement.

“It will be a big learning curve for him, for us, and we might come away disappointed, we might come away bathed in glory. We will see, that’s why we do this.”