It was an 18th success in the premier Irish classic for Aidan O’Brien, who also trained the runner-up and third placed horse.

The winner, who was declared a non-runner in the Betfred Epsom Derby at the beginning of the month, ran out a one-and-three-quarter length winner over the Epsom victor, Christmas Day (4/1), who, as in the English classic, was ridden by Ronan Whelan.

Pierre Bonnard (9/1), in the hands of Wayne Lordan, came home third, a neck behind the runner-up.

”If there was any weakness in his armour, it was going to be exposed.”

The master of @Ballydoyle reveals he was by no means convinced that Benvenuto Cellini had a Derby-winning performance in him after what happened at Epsom. pic.twitter.com/qobUubcqMs

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 28, 2026

In ensured a 1-2-3 for owners Coolmore who were responsible for four of the runners in the eight-horse field.

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Winner of the Betfred Derby at Epsom last month under Wayne Lordan, the son of Australia  took Ireland’s premier classic in the hand of Ryan Moore on Sunday.

Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, it was a 17th success in the race for the County Wexford-born trainer, it was his 15th win in the last 23 years.

His stable companion, Serious Contender (28/1), ridden by Gavin Ryan, gave him most to do, coming home just three-quarters of a length behind.

The English challenger, Lazy Griff (14/1) was third for jockey William Buick and trainer Charlie Johnston, two and a quarter lengths behind the runner-up.

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Arguably an unluckly third in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom three weeks ago, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt ran out a seven-length winner of Ireland’s Premier Classic.

In the colours of Juddmonte Farms, the son of Frankel was never seriously challenged inthe 1 mile 4 furlong contest.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Piz Badile (18/1) was runner-up with 16/1 chance French Claim another two lengths back in third.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly Tuesday, supplemented during the week for the race, was a disappointing fourth, a further one and a quarter lengths behind.

Murtagh and Cohen win Gain Railway Stakes

Johnny Murtagh and Ben Cohen teamed up to win the Gain Railways Stakes with Shartash (9/1) for The Aga Khan. The two-year-old son of the Irish National Stud’s Invincible Spirit held off the challenge of the Aidan O’Brien-handled favourite Blackbeard (5/6). Apache Outlaw (22/1) was a further length and a quarter back in third.

Aikhal is impressive

The Group 3 The Arm Holding International Stakes saw Aikhal run out an impressive four and a quarter length winner under Ryan Moore. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the two-year-old son of Galileo beat Dermot Weld’s Duke De Sessa, with Rumbles Of Thunder from the Paddy Toomey yard a further half a length behind in third.

In the opening Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes (Listed Race), Teresa Mendoza (4/1) went one spot better than her runner-up position in the race last year. The Ken Condon-trained four-year-old, ridden by Billy Lee, got the better of Prisoner’s Dilemma (18/1)by half a length the same distance further back to Power Under Me (15/8f) in third.

The 5/1 shot Night Of Romance was a winner of the Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap for Joseph O’Brien and rider Dylan Browne McMonagle, ahead of the favourite Needle Lace (9/4) and Marbling (5/1).

The Jim Bolger-Kevin Manning partnership was successful with the son of Teofilo, Wexford Native (18/5), in the Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes over a mile. Fourth last time out in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Wexford Native challenged wide of Ryan Moore on The Acropolis (7/1), who had finished one from last on his most recent outing in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly at the beginning of June. Emphatic Answer (5/1) was third for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle.

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“He’s a tough horse – a mile and six (in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot) back to a mile and a half in the Curragh really suited me. I was always comfortable. I would have liked to have had a better draw and a cleaner slot, but it worked out.”

The 47-year-old Ballydoyle jockey continued:

“It wasn’t an ideal draw and I took a gamble in dropping him in, but if you go forward and you get trapped wide he’s a horse that gets competitive. He wants to go and race and win.”

MV Magnier, son of Coolmore supremo John, spoke of the significance of winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby from a breeding viewpoint:

“The Irish Derby is the pinnacle of Irish racing. It is a stallion-making race and many great champions have won it over the years.”

The winning handler, Aidan O’Brien, who claimed his 14th win in The Curragh classic, said he believed the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner was a likely St Leger horse:

“We’re delighted. He’s a lovely horse. We thought he would be a Leger horse we were going to look forward to next year. A lovely, clean-winded, honest horse. The St Leger looks a lovely race for him. We think he will be a lovely Cup horse next year but he has plenty class and travels well.”

The Wexford-native was also delighted with the performance of the runner-up and third-placed horses, saying:

“They are two lovely horses (Tiger Moth and Dawn Patrol) and are two babies, they are progressing. In a month’s time they will be even better we think.”

Image of Santiago and Séamie Heffernan by Patrick McCann/Racing Post, provided by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI).

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The recent winner of the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot won Ireland’s Premier Classic by a head from his stable mate, Tiger Moth (11/1), giving his rider Séamie Heffernan a fourth success in the Group 1 race.

In what was another great race for Team Ballydoyle, Dawn Patrol (10/1) was third home, ahead of Order Of Australia (33/1), meaning the Co. Tipperary establishment trained the first-four home in the mile and a half contest.

The winning handler said of Santiago post race:

“Santiago is a lovely, straightforward horse. He likes to take his time in his races and Séamus got a lovely run through and stayed very well.”

The Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster was immediately mentioned as a next possible race for the son of Authorized.

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It will be the Killenaule woman’s first time riding in Ireland’s Premier Classic over the mile and a half distance as she become only the third woman, after Joanna Morgan and Ana O’Brien, to ride in the Group 1 contest.

Blackmore is in great form at present having had a double at Roscommon during the week, following on from her recent biggest success on the level when taking the Listed Martin Molony Stakes on Oriental Eagle.

She has also teamed up successfully in recent times with trainer Karl Thornton with whom she won a handicap at Fairyhouse on Oromo, before combining successfully again during the past week at the same venue.

Speaking to Racing TV ahead of her Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby debut, Rachael Blackmore said:

“I can’t believe it really. It’s pretty cool to be riding in the race. Fair play to Emmet for giving me the opportunity to ride in it. It’s a big deal for him as well, having his first runner in the race. It’s very exciting and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Discussing the importance of the race, the Tipperary native continued:

“I feel like I’m an imposter in it really. It’s such an incredibly special race and I never even dreamt of riding in Irish Classics. It really does mean a lot to get the opportunity to ride in a race like this and I’m just very grateful to be given an opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is the penultimate race of an 8-race card at The Curragh, going off at 7.15pm, with live coverage on both RTÉ and Racing TV.

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13-time winner of the Premier Classic, Aidan O’Brien, will as usual ensure Ballydoyle plays a strong hand in the race, with six runners coming from the Co. Tipperary racing establishment. The recent Queen’s Vase winner at Royal Ascot, Santiago, looks to be the stable’s No. 1 candidate for the race.

Joseph O’Brien, a previous winner of the race with Latrobe in 2018, has declared the son of Kitten’s Joy, the unbeaten Crossfirehurricane, who is owned by American Scott Heider. The Pilltown-based handler has also supplemented fourth-placed Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas filly, New York Girl, to Saturday’s field, at a cost of €50,000. His third runner is the recent Curragh winner Galileo Chrome.

Jim Bolger, twice a winner of the mile and a half Classic, will be represented by Fiscal Rules, as the Wexford trainer attempts to add to the victories of St Jovite and Trading Leather.

Jessica Harrington, who won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last Saturday, bids to become the first female trainer to win the race with the recent Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule Stakes runner-up Gold Maze.

Four trainers will saddle their first runners in Ireland’s Premier Classic this weekend: Donnacha O’Brien, Emmet Mullins, Ger Lyons and Andy Slattery. O’Brien will be represented by Sherpa, Mullins has King Of Thrones in the race, Lyons has declared Chiricahua, while Slattery’s Sunchart will contest the feature of the three-day Curragh meeting.

Racing will be shown live on RTÉ on all three days: Friday from 7pm to 8pm, Saturday 6pm to 8pm and Sunday from 3pm to 5pm

Racing TV will show all races live over the three days. On Sunday ITV will show the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes and Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes. Fox Sports in the USA will show live coverage of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for the first time, with the Green Channel in Japan also broadcasting the race live.

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