RACING: Fracas is set to lead the home defence of Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby against a particularly strong French challenge for Ireland's premier classic.
As expected the Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Hurricane Run has been installed an odds-on favourite by the bookmakers with the Epsom second, Walk In The Park, next best in the betting.
Both Hurricane Run's trainer Andre Fabre and John Hammond who trains Walk In The Park have already tasted Irish Derby glory with Winged Love (1995) and Montjeu (1999) respectively.
Another French-trained winner in the late 1990s was Dream Well (1998) but David Wachman will be hoping to stop the Gallic party at the weekend with Fracas becoming his first ever runner in the Irish Derby.
Fracas lost his unbeaten record when fourth, and best of the Irish, at Epsom behind Motivator. On that form he has four lengths to make up on Walk In The Park but Wachman is prepared to give his horse another chance.
"He seems okay and I would hope the Curragh would suit him better than Epsom. At the moment the plan is to run but I will have to walk the track and talk to the owner (Joe Joyce) first," the Co Tipperary trainer said yesterday.
The good ground at Epsom was the best Fracas has run on to date but Wachman added: "To be honest I'm not too worried about the ground." One boost for all those running in Sunday's race is that even the last home will receive a prize of at least 13,000. That is the money for 10th and there will be a maximum of 10 starters in the Derby.
A total of 13 were left in the Derby at yesterday's declaration stage but they included a trio of John Dunlop horses that apparently appeared due to an error at Horse Racing Ireland.
The three horses, Ebtikaar, Gifted Musician and Jungle Drum, were taken out of the Derby months ago by the Dunlop stable but HRI records didn't show that.
"I declared forfeit for those horses on May 9th so the cock-up is on their part," said Dunlop's secretary, Marcus Hosgood, yesterday. "I was shocked when this happened and I have sent the original fax on which I forfeited to them." A HRI spokesman confirmed yesterday that the horses will be taken out and no penalty will be imposed.
As expected a supplementary fee of 95,000 was shelved out to get the Clive Brittain-trained Baher Shumaal into the race yesterday and another British runner is likely to be the Mark Johnston-trained Brahminy Kite who was runner-up in the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal Ascot at York meeting last week.
Aidan O'Brien has left in three horses including Gypsy King, fifth at Epsom, and Scorpion who was second last behind Shamardal and Hurricane Run in the French Derby.
The home team has also been boosted by the inclusion of Dermot Weld's Helvetio who failed to stay in last week's Queen's Vase and by John Oxx's Shalapour who bids to follow in the footsteps on Sinndar and Alamshar.
The ground at the Curragh remains "good to firm" with watering continuing at the track.
Sunday's main supporting race is the Group Two Andeuser Busch Adventure Parks Railway Stakes, a contest that in the past has been won by stars like Nijinsky, El Gran Senor and Rock Of Gibraltar.
A total of eight horses have been left in the six furlong race this time and the all-Irish entry includes four from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle yard. Among them are the course winner George Washington and Ivan Denisovich who broke his maiden in impressive fashion at Leopardstown.
The Budweiser Celebration Stakes could see the return to action of the Ballysax winner Bobs Pride while also left in is the Epsom Derby failure Grand Central.
Irish Derby betting
Paddy Power: 4-6 Hurricane Run, 3-1 Walk In The Park, 8-1 Fracas, 10-1 Gypsy King, 14-1 Bahar Shumaal, 16-1 Shalapour, 25-1 Brahminy Kite and Helvetio, 33-1 Scorpion, 40-1 Yehudi.
Cashmans: 4-7 Hurricane Run, 7-2 Walk In The Park, 6-1 Aidan O'Brien stable, 9-1 Bahar Shumaal, 10-1 Fracas, 20-1 Shalapour and Brahminy Kite, 33-1 Helvetio.
