Irish Derby Preview: Saxon Warrior eased with 11 rivals set to line up

The Rest

Old Persian triumphed in scintillating fashion at Royal Ascot last week and is next best in the market at 10/1. The three-year-old saw off nine rivals to clinch the King Edward VII Stakes by just over a length to give trainer Charlie Appleby yet another big race win.

The trainer now has a Group 1 victory at Royal Ascot to go alongside his Epsom Derby win with Masar and Breeders’ Cup success with Wuheida. His fancy in this race has progressed nicely over the last 12 months and looks more than comfortable over the distance.

There’s then a further drop back to the dangerous Delano Roosevelt at 16/1 before Platinum Warrior, Knight To Behold and Latrobe at 20/1.

The first and last horses of that trio take the Coral News Team’s interest having finished 1-2 in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at The Curragh last time out.

Platinum Warrior stayed on well that day to edge his rival by a shade over 2l to secure his first black-type victory and his first success over the 1m 2f. He looks ready for another step-up in trip. But he’ll have to go some to replicate Assert, who was the last winner of the Gallinule and the Irish Derby in the same season back in 1982.

King Edward VII Stakes second Rostropovich could also be a player at 33/1.

What does David Stevens say?

“At the start of the week it looked possible that Saxon Warrior could be facing a small field in Saturday’s race.”

“But the presence of eleven rivals, headed by the Investec Derby runner-up and a Royal Ascot winner, ensures that while he remains odds-on favourite for the Irish Derby, we’re happy to ease his odds,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

**Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
8-13 Saxon Warrior, 4 Dee Ex Bee, 10 Old Persian, 16 Delano Roosevelt, 20 Platinum Warrior, Knight To Behold, Latrobe, 25 The Pentagon, 33 Bandua, Rostropovich, 50 Carlo Biraghi, 100 Theobal.

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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing