Devastating Dylan at the Curragh

The 141st running of the Budweiser Irish Derby looked a wide open affair beforehand but Dylan Thomas stamped his authority on 12 rivals with a blistering turn of foot in front of nearly 31,000 racegoers.

Kieren Fallon, who finally broke his duck in this race on Hurricane Run last year, extricated the Danehill colt from a pocket on the far rail over a furlong out and quickened clear in a matter of strides to beat Gentlewave by three and a half lengths. Best Alibi was never far off the pace finishing a length and a half back in third, with Epsom runner-up Dragon Dancer the same distance further adrift in fourth.

?It didn?t really suit him being in front at Epsom and it looked like he was always going that stride too quick. Kieren always felt he would be better going right-handed and, like a lot of ours, he is improving with each run,? said Aidan O?Brien of the 9/2 favourite.

The Ballydoyle trainer, recording his fourth Irish Derby success, indicated that a step back in distance could be on the cards. ?He has a lot of options and the Irish Champion Stakes would suit him well. He?d love ten furlongs with plenty of pace in front of him.?

Coolmore supremo John Magnier, whose wife Sue owns the winner in partnership with Michael Tabor, paid tribute to the coolness of Fallon saying, ?If I was looking for someone to take penalties in the World Cup, Kieren would be my man!?

The O?Brien/Fallon team had further big race success on the day as Holy Roman Emperor put a disappointing effort at Royal Ascot behind him in the Railway Stakes. Drayton made a bold bid to make all in the Group 2 juvenile event but, when Fallon got an opening a furlong out, his mount quickened up well to catch the front-runner in the final 100 yards.

?He?s a real two-year-old, strong and powerful and picked up well in the last furlong. He won easily first time at Leopardstown but didn?t learn a lot and Kieren looked after him at Ascot,? said O?Brien, who will step him up to a Group 1 next time with the Phoenix Stakes a likely target.

George Washington won the ?Railway? last year, and Cashmans have introduced Holy Roman Emperor at 16/1 to also land the 2,000 Guineas with Boylesports going just 12/1.

Many observers felt Dandy Man was the ?moral winner? of the King?s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last month after clearly leading home the group on the far rail, and the Con Collins-trained son of Mozart certainly proved he?s a high class sprinter by justifying strong support in a classy renewal of the five furlongs Listed race.

Osterhase broke smartly from stalls but could never gain a decisive advantage, and Pat Shanahan sent the 5/4 favourite to the front at the furlong pole to score by a length from the staying on Benbawn. Osterhase was a further half length adrift in third.

An obviously delighted Tracey Collins, daughter and assistant to the veteran local trainer, said, ?Dad didn?t fancy coming over with the big crowd but he will have really enjoyed that. We normally wouldn?t run one of ours back that soon after Ascot but he told us he had to run. He has a massive constitution and is a great horse to train. He?ll have a little break now and come back for the Nunthorpe at York.?

Kevin Prendergast confessed to being relieved after sending out Taqseem to land the Scurry Handicap, with Declan McDonogh?s mount and Bonus taking charge in the final furlong and only separated by a head at the line. ?I was a bit worried as my horses have not been running well here the last few days. This fella was rated 93 today and will go up a bit so we may have to look at a Listed race next,? said the local handler.

Prendergast, McDonogh and owner Hamdan Al Maktoum completed a double later when Mustameet took the Listed Celebration Stakes in fine style. The five-year-old drifted right when quickening to the front a furlong out before driven clear to beat Arch Rebel by four lengths.

Those drawn high dominated the finish of the opening mile Premier Handicap, with Bush Maiden (Tadgh O?Shea) striking the front inside the final quarter mile to beat Absolute Image by three quarters of a length.

Telemachus recorded his second win of the Derby weekend at the Curragh when defying a 5lb penalty under John Egan to beat The Last Hurrah by a neck in the mile and a half Premier Handicap. Trainer Noel Meade will make a number of entries for the dual purpose gelding at the Galway Festival and stressed that he wouldn?t want the ground either too hard or too soft.

The Last Hurrah´s partner Tadgh O´Shea was suspended for three days for careless riding after the stewards enquired into an incident inside the final two furlongs.

The Tote aggregate of 1,044,484 was a new course record (up nearly 100,000 on last year), while the attendance of 30,969 was just 145 below last year´s record total.

Alan Magee