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Irish Derby form is often so strong and is run at Curragh on Saturday.
It was big for Godolphin in 2021 when Hurricane Lane won. So can they do that again in the 2022 Irish Derby (2414m) at Curragh on Saturday?
2022 IRISH DERBY - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Irish Derby is a Group 1 race run under Set Weight conditions for three year old colts and fillies at the Curragh conducted by the Curragh Racecourse for Horse Racing Ireland.
The Irish Derby is run over a mile and a half. It was first run in 1866 and was won by Selim.
Many three year olds run in the Derby at Epsom then run a month later in the Irish version at the Curragh.
There were earlier versions of the Irish Derby but they were discontinued until regal intervention in 1866.
In 1907, Orby was the first horse to do English Derby/Irish Derby double. Another 17 have achieved that feat with the most recent being Harzand.
There were dead heats in 1924 and 1934.
Many great staying sires won the Irish Derby in their racing days. High Chaparral, Galileo, Montjeu and Desert King were in a six year span.
Morny Wing holds the record of riding six Irish Derby winners while Aidan O'Brien has won an incredible 14 runnings as trainer. In fact O'Brien won seven in a row from 2006 onwards. He trifectad the race in 2019 and had the first four in 2020. His son Joseph won it with Latrobe in 2018.
Due to being part owned in Australia, Latrobe was sent south for the Spring carnival in Melbourne but didn't make it to the Melbourne Cup. Instead he was a close second in the Mackinnon Stakes.
Tiger Moth ran second in 2020 and then three months later won a G3 before heading to Australia with a massive run into second.
The 2021 edition saw Hurricane Lane win for Godolphin. It meant he did the same job as stablemate Adayar in winning a Derby but as well as both being trained by Charlie Appleby, also both were by Frankel.
The Irish Derby was worth £1,000,000 in 2022.
Notable winners of the Irish Derby include Hurricane Lane (2021), Harzand (2016), Jack Hobbs (2015), Australia (2014), Camelot (2012), Fame And Glory (2009), Dylan Thomas (2006), Hurricane Run (2005), High Chaparral (2002), Galileo (2001), Sinndar (2000), Montjeu (1999), Desert King (1997), Commander In Chief (1993), Generous (1991), El Gran Senor (1984), Shergar (1981), Troy (1979), Shirley Heights (1978), The Minstrel (1977), Nijinsky (1970), Santa Claus (1964), Ragusa (1963), Ballymoss (1957) and Orby (1907).
The 2021 Irish Derby was won by Hurricane Lane from Lone Eagle and Wordsworth.
