COLTS that win the Derby by a wide margin do not come along every year. Lambourn became just the third horse in the last 10 years to win the Epsom classic by more than three lengths, though punters were left wondering afterwards if he will prove more of an Adayar (four-and-a-half-length winner in 2021) or a Serpentine (five-and-a-half-length winner in 2020).

Adayar won the King George on his next start while Serpentine took 18 runs to win again.

This year’s Derby gave off vibes of the latter, Lambourn essentially making all as most fancied runners disappointed, the best any other runner with a single figure SP could manage was ninth. Whatever about the quality of the performance, the 18 runners represented the biggest Derby field in over 20 years as connections viewed it as an open year and that could carry through to the Curragh at the end of the month. There were 14 runners in the Irish Derby in the Covid year of 2020, the biggest field in the last two decades. The race typically gets about enough runners for three place each-way betting though this year might be different considering events at Epsom.

Epsom has been by far the best predictor of Curragh success recently, the last four Irish Derby winners running there and 11 in all since 2010, but Leopardstown last Thursday might yet prove an unlikely source of runners.

Zahrann is not in the Irish Derby but a supplementary entry is being considered and he put up a taking performance to win the King George V Cup. It was the third time in three starts he has left a striking visual impression, each of them for different reasons.

More to come

He was the slowest of the nine runners from the stalls, but Ben Coen was content to sit last, making no move despite the pace being steady. Still last turning in, he produced an impressive turn-of-foot to win going away, despite edging left late, looking like he had more to give.

Previous starts suggested Zahrann could be a stayer, but he showed a lot of speed here and he looks a very good prospect, for all that his greenness could still catch him out at this stage of his career.

Aidan O’Brien is peerless with an improving three-year-old but Johnny Murtagh knows a thing or two about getting such types to progress and seems to have a strong crop in that age group just now, Reyenzi another with a similar profile.

The next race on the card, the Glencairn Stakes, was won by Green Impact under a penalty against his elders, and while the race was only over nine furlongs, Jessica Harrington has the Irish Derby in mind for him next time.

The bare form of beating Currawood by half a length is not going to be good enough at the Curragh but Green Impact only seems to do enough in front, and his trainer said afterwards that he was not fully ready for the race.

If he had been then he would have gone for the Prix du Jockey Club four days previous.

There is a fair chance that 12 furlongs could prove beyond him, especially with how Ballydoyle tend to run these races, but he is a particularly likeable colt who has been brought along slowly this year and it would be no surprise to see him peak back at Leopardstown during the Irish Champions Festival, given all three of his wins have come there.

ALL eyes were on Epsom last weekend, but there was interesting racing at Navan on Saturday, where there were market moves aplenty. The biggest mover of the day was recent stable switcher Arcland in the last, backed from an early price of 14/1 into 6/4.

By that stage of the card, everything was coming near side, horses that stayed against the far rail having little chance, the bias a little surprising given the going was given as good, good to yielding in places.

In the Arcland race, Noble Hilltop finished only 13th of 20 runners but shaped about best of those that raced on the far side, Gary Carroll seeming to accept that he couldn’t get competitive from his track position halfway up the straight. He had shown little on the flat up to this point, but this was his handicap debut off a basement mark, and he has won a handicap hurdle.

Shane Foley won the featured Kooyonga Stakes on Barnavara, another well-backed runner, and the rider was keen to get forward despite the early gallop being strong so he could get first crack at the near side rail. She got into the right track position here, but it did come at the cost of forcing a strong pace and she displayed a tough attitude to hold off the challenge of the higher rated Red Letter who had no excuses and seems to have levelled off.

Barnavara may have taken eight races to win a blacktype race, but this still looked a step forward and she could be underestimated with her yard back among the winners.

Down the field

Further down the field, the fourth home Indigo Five shaped well against the bias. She found the early pace too hot but did a lot of running in furlongs six and seven to get involved for the places.

She has done most of her racing around a mile, but has repeatedly shaped as if further would suit, and could be able to spring a surprise in a minor pattern race over that trip though a galloping track seems important to her.

In the sprint handicap earlier on the card, An Laochmor was drawn in one of the lower stalls and compounded that disadvantage by uncharacteristically missing the break by at least two lengths. He managed only eighth but had no chance from an early stage and did the second fastest final furlong in the field. He should prove best kept to the minimum trip.

The mile and six handicap won by Ragmans Corner was competitive for a 0-81 rating band, and a couple down the field could be interesting next time. Granite Bay was returning from a 256-day absence and was ridden in contrasting fashion to his handicap runs last season, dropped out when tending to go forward previously.

He won three of those four handicap starts in 2024, and remains unexposed, and while he finished up racing on the near side late here, he spent most of the race on the inside.

Further back in 10th was the veteran The Names Jock but there was some spark in this effort as he finished off well down the inside.