1pt win Wings Of Eagles @3/1, 17:20 Curragh, Saturday

It’s Irish Derby day at the Curragh and we’re treated to a quality international field featuring some of the leading players from the English and French equivalents.

Andre Fabre sends over his French Derby second Waldgeist, a Galileo colt, to take on Aidan O’Brien’s five-strong home team, mostly also by Galileo, and the English raider and Epsom-third Cracksman.

The French Derby featured a tight finish with the top-class Brametot meeting trouble in running before getting up in the shadows of the post to beat Waldgeist by a short head.

The rest of the pack weren’t far behind and, if you take the winner out, I don’t think it was nearly as good a race as the English Derby, which has had some significant form boosts since.

The 5th and 10th won at Royal Ascot, while the 14th came second, so there’s a strong look to the form.

The race at Epsom may have turned into a stayers’ race but all the right horses filled the places, despite the shock 40/1 win of WINGS OF EAGLES.

We obviously tipped him and I’m afraid we’ll be dining out on that one for quite some time, but he’s drifted to 3/1 to complete the Derby double today and that just looks too big.

There’s clearly some nagging doubts about his credentials but he won at Epsom with plenty in hand, passing virtually every horse to win cosily despite a bit of trouble in running.

He stayed better than everyone – better than today’s opponents Cracksman, The Anvil, Douglas Macarthur and Capri – and it’s fairly safe to expect Aidan O’Brien to get his runners to set another furious pace again in an attempt to play to his strengths.

Ryan Moore takes over in the saddle and Wings Of Eagles’s pedigree suggests the cut in the ground shouldn’t inconvenience him, so there are very few negatives to doubt his value as a 3/1 chance.

I rate Cracksman the biggest threat as he ran a blinder at Epsom on just his third career start.

The O’Brien team will make things difficult for him, though, and the Epsom form with Wings Of Eagles will need to be reversed.

Also at 3/1, it’s very difficult to argue his case at the prices as, for now, Wings Of Eagles is the superior horse.

Of the other O’Brien runners I like Capri’s chances and, if he doesn’t go too hard at the front, Douglas Macarthur is a player too.

1pt win Wings Of Eagles @3/1, 17:20 Curragh, Saturday

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