Timeform's report on the 2021 Irish Derby at the Curragh
Read Timeform's report on the 2021 Irish Derby. This is a free sample but reports on every race in Britain and Ireland are available to Race Passes subscribers.
A really interesting Irish Derby on paper, the second, third and fourth from Epsom all back for more, two of that group responsible for wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas and Dante beforehand, the winter favourite for the Derby also in the line-up, but, not for the first time in recent years, the race wasn't run at a true tempo, the pace steadying around halfway, and the first one to strike for home looked to have got away only to be nailed late on by one who deserves extra credit given the position from which he came, even if he did severely hamper a few of his rivals on the way through; having finished third to his stablemate Adayar at Epsom, Hurricane Lane brought up a Derby double for Charlie Appleby and became just the third non-Irish-trained winner this century.
HURRICANE LANE (IRE) went two better than at Epsom to complete the Anglo-Irish Derby double for his trainer, cutting down the leader in the style of a really good horse having had to come from further back than ideal off a gallop that had slackened quite appreciably around halfway, finding himself with nowhere to go under 4f out and having to peel wide under 3f out before making headway, hanging right as he did (hampering a few) and still looking to have his work cut out with Lone Eagle over 1f out before finding plenty to lead late on, the pair of them having stretched right away from the rest; he'll certainly have his supporters should he clash again with his Derby-winning stablemate, though they might be on slightly different paths now, plenty about Hurricane Lane to think he'll handle the demands of the St Leger, for instance.
LONE EAGLE (IRE) might have finished only fourth in the Classic Trial at Sandown but that's proving a red-hot piece of form, since when he earned himself a shot at a race like this when winning at Goodwood and he upped his game once more, looking to have made full use of his good position when he quickened clear soon after leading around 3f out, going as short as 1.03 in-running on Betfair, but the keen hold he'd taken early meant he couldn't quite fend off Hurricane Lane's strong late charge; whether he'll relish the St Leger distance remains to be seen, so perhaps his best option of going one better at this level will be on the continent.
WORDSWORTH (IRE) is progressing gradually, running better again than at Ascot despite the drop back to 1½m in a race not run at an end-to-end gallop, also meeting quite significant trouble as the winner came by; chased leaders on outer, effort over 3f out, badly hampered under 2f out, rallied final 1f into a clear third and value for finishing closer to the first two; he had just one run at two yrs and is very much the type to go on improving through the season, particularly back over further (brother to Kew Gardens), while he also leaves the impression that he could be sharpened up by headgear.
EARLSWOOD was unlucky not to put further improvement on top of his Gallinule-winning performance, looking at home at this level, with the longer trip seemingly within range, too; waited with, progress under 3f out, further headway when no room and stumbled under 2f out, not recover (retook fourth only late on).
MOJO STAR (IRE) didn't enjoy anything like the same trip as at Epsom, when he finished in front of Hurricane Lane, though that one clearly progressed plenty here; mid-field, effort when not clear run from 3f out, badly hampered under 2f out, not recover.
MAC SWINEY (IRE) has every chance of staying this far on pedigree but has now come up quite well short in 2 Derbies, though it's hard to say it was the trip alone that beat him here, Lone Eagle running clean away from him early in the straight and perhaps his Guineas win has left a bit of a mark on him for now; tracked pace, second 3f out, left behind by leader soon after, faded final 1f.
ARTURO TOSCANINI (IRE) was far from disgraced on bare form terms even before considering he was one of the worst sufferers in the melee in the straight; broke on terms but slow to gather stride, soon pushed up to chase leaders, effort under 3f out, badly hampered under 2f out, no chance after, not knocked about.
VAN GOGH (USA) shaped similarly to in the Prix du Jockey Club, only beaten further over this longer trip, though admittedly the tactics used were of little use the way this panned out; dropped out, off pace still 2f out, never on terms.
FERNANDO VICHI (IRE) failed to make the step up required at this level; held up, effort under 3f out, held when hung right under 2f out, made no impression; his previous win came in a notably slow time and doesn't look strong form.
HIGH DEFINITION (IRE) whose Dante run looks even better than it did at the time in light of what the winner did here, nonetheless became another big disappointment for a Ballydoyle 3-y-o colt in a top race this season, St Mark's Basilica very much standing out among the stable's crop at present having delivered back-to-back French classics; held up, stumbled after 3f, shaken up under 5f out and dropped to last, ridden 4f out, hung right straight and made no impression at all; this clearly wasn't his running and it will be interesting to see if anything comes to light in the coming days.
MATCHLESS (IRE) didn't even perform his apparent role as pacemaker well given his rider steadied the tempo around halfway, but he was still readily seen off in the straight; led, headed over 3f out, dropped away quickly.