Rakan Set For Irish Derby

Connections to Rakan are predicting a run out at the Irish Derby following victory on Thursday at Leopardstown. The Dermot Weld-trained colt as put under pressure by rivals Barbados and Eminent Authority but came home first to win the three-horse race.

Connections are now confident that he can have ago at the Irish Derby and not look out of his depth, having also taken the spoils at the Irish Stallion Farms EBF at Leopardstown in October. “I’ve spoken to Dermot and the Chris Hayes and I think the first thing to say is on the face of it he was workmanlike,” said owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s racing manager, Angus Gold.

“He did miss quite a lot of groundwork in the winter and what I hadn’t factored in is that he’s a lazy horse and hard to get fit. “Chris said he thought he was going to go and win by four lengths, but it was a muddling pace and he took a big blow at the furlong pole like he still needed a race, so we can have him fitter.

“While he’ll lack the experience of some in the Irish Derby, if ever a horse was bred to be a Derby horse it’s him, by Sea The Stars out of a mare who was second in an Oaks. “The Irish Derby is the obvious race, if Dermot is happy with his work, and I’m sure he’ll be better off a stronger pace. I’ve always thought he was potentially our best staying horse on his pedigree and looks, but we also have Madhmoon.”