Old Persian is likely to be added to the field for the Irish Derby on Saturday, giving his trainer, Charlie Appleby, the chance of an explosive end to the best month of his career. Appleby began June by saddling Masar to win the Derby, followed up with two winners at Royal Ascot last week and is now mulling a tilt at the Curragh Classic with a horse who won the King Edward VII Stakes on Friday.
A “free entry” initiative offered by the Curragh gives Godolphin, owners of Old Persian, every reason to have a cut at the Irish race, even though it has been won by only one British-based horse since 1994. The winners of certain buildup races get their entry fees returned if they take part in the Irish Derby, so, although Godolphin must stump up €100,000 (£88,000) on Tuesday to add Old Persian to the field, that money will be returned so long as he runs.
“He stays the trip well,” Appleby said of Old Persian. “We’ll just have to see how he is over the next few days. The early signs are that he’s come out of the race well.”
Old Persian had Rostropovich and two other Aidan O’Brien-trained runners behind him when he won the Ascot race and, while that does not make him a ready-made top-class colt, he would be of obvious interest in an open-looking Irish Derby. Saxon Warrior is favourite and would be hard to beat on his Guineas form but he ran disappointingly behind Masar at Epsom.
Meanwhile, it appears Harry Angel is not out of the July Cup yet, having sustained what is hoped were only “superficial” injuries in his argument with the starting stalls at Ascot on Saturday. Infection is the remaining concern, as the colt suffered a cut to the fetlock joint on his left hind leg and will have to be monitored very closely for the next week in the hope that he can be at Newmarket on 14 July for a race he won last year.
“I’m pleased to say he’s improved, albeit slightly stiff this morning,” Clive Cox, the horse’s Lambourn-based trainer, said. “We’re very relieved that, apart from being a bit stiff, that’s the extent of it, really. Crikey, the outcome is very much a relief in light of what happened on the day.
“He had a cut on his joint, which was quite deep. The vets did a good job, that’s been flushed and cleaned and we’ll have to take care of that for a few days. That’s where he was lame behind. We just need to get through this week. We need to give him this week to be sure.
“From a fitness point of view, he went into this week in A1 condition and I couldn’t be more pleased, so the fact that all we’ve got is superficial, hopefully that won’t hinder us too much in maintaining his fitness and we can decide where we go from here.”
Harry Angel was sent off the 5-2 favourite on Saturday for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, the highlight race of Royal Ascot’s final day. But he was fractious in the paddock, tried to run away from his handlers when Adam Kirby was attempting to mount, and then lashed out with his hind legs in the starting stalls, with the result that his left hind foot became wedged on a running board and was still there when the stalls opened.
“It definitely prevented him getting into gear properly,” Cox said.
The horse was eased down in the final furlong to finish 11th of the 12 runners. Social media has been alive with concern over the incident, but Cox does not agree that change is necessary. “I think we have a very professional team, in charge and operating down at the start,” he said.
Chepstow
2.00 Comporta 2.30 Rippling Waters
3.00 Broadhaven Honey 3.30 Telltale 4.00 Jaalboot 4.30 Jahaafel 5.00 Cheeky Rascal
Southwell
2.15 Lotus Pond (nap) 2.45 Inch Rise
3.15 Free Stone Hill 3.45 Artful Artist 4.15 Stepover 4.45 Simply Lucky 5.15 Welcome Polly 5.45 Havisham
Wolverhampton
5.50 Barnaby Brook 6.20 Billy Booth 6.50 Deputise
7.20 Kion 7.50 Peachey Carnehan 8.20 Flamenco
8.50 Servo
Windsor
6.10 Spot Lite 6.40 Glory 7.10 On A Roll (nb)
7.40 Buffer Zone 8.10 Desert Path 8.40 Contrive
9.10 Staplegrove
