THE Curragh has commenced watering ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival with glorious weather forecast next week.

No rain is forecast to hit the track in the coming week with temperatures set to peak at 27c on Irish Derby day, next Saturday. Groundstaff are continuing to monitor the situation with regard to watering to achieve the best racing ground possible.

The Irish Derby looks set to have an odds-on favourite for the 12th time since 2001 with Saxon Warrior a general 4/7 shot in his bid to atone for a disappointing fourth at Epsom. Mark Johnston’s Dee Ex Bee, second at Epsom, is likely to be supplemented to the field at a cost of €100,000 on Tuesday.

Johnston, speaking at Royal Ascot this week is confident the son of Farhh can put it up to the favourite. He said: “If you run second in the Derby, you want to win a Group 1 and the Irish Derby is an obvious target. Really, he doesn’t need to run beyond his Epsom form to win so we’re very hopeful. It’s interesting that Saxon Warrior is favourite and I’ve great respect for Aidan O’Brien but we have already beaten him once and we know our horse gets every yard of the trip.”

Saxon Warrior could be backed up by O’Brien’s Royal Ascot winners Kew Gardens and Hunting Horn awhile Mick Halford’s Gallinule Stakes winner Platinum Warrior and Joseph O’Brien’s Latrobe are also on target for the race.

PRETTY POLLY

The Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes takes centre stage on Sunday and will be run under the sponsorship Juddmonte Ireland for the first time. The race is shaping up well with this week John Gosden reporting Coronet, winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes last season, will take up her engagement. She could well meet the Oaks winner Forever Together, who O’Brien suggested is likely to move down in trip.

This time last year, the Curragh received widespread criticism with regard to their implementation of a 6,000 capacity limit for all meetings. That restriction is to remain in place for the duration of the redevelopment but the racecourse’s CEO Derek McGrath is relaxed about the issue. He said: “We don’t anticipate we will reach that sort of number and we are not overly worried about it. Some people have made the decision that they won’t be coming back to the Curragh until 2019 and that’s fine.

“For now, we are more focussed on enhancing the experience of those people who are coming racing on the day. We have lots happening on all three days with music on Friday night, best dressed competitions on Saturday and everything is centred around the Pretty Polly on Sunday.”

There has been a far more positive reaction to the Curragh so far this season with racegoers able to observe the progression of the redevelopment with each passing fixture.

McGrath added: “We have received good feedback on the new facilities and people will be able to see more progress if they are racing with us next weekend. A part of the roof is now on and a lot of glass has been added to the main grandstand building as well.”

McGrath reaffirmed the Curragh is still on budget (€72 million) and on target to be finished by this Christmas. He added: “It is a very tight budget and we are reminded by the builders each day that this is a very ambitious project. But the good news is that we are on schedule and on budget.”