Irish Derby preview

Like Hurricane Run, Best Name finished like a rocket when runner-up in the French Derby at Chantilly, a race that has been in reduced in distance from 1m4f to 1m2f 110yds for the last couple of seasons. And, like Hurricane Run, Best Name will relish the extra yardage in the Irish equivalent, the the Budweiser Irish Derby on July 2. Again, like Hurricane Run, Best Name can win the classic at The Curragh, for which he is a top-priced 5/1 with Ladbrokes. Trainer Robert Collet has made little secret of the high esteem in which this King's Best colt is held, so much so that he pitched his charge into a Group 3 at Longchamp on his debut last October. Best Name vindicated this bold move, finishing strongly and only failing by a short head to reel in Linda's Lad, who gave the form a boost when going onto win a Group 1. Following a cosy win on his reappearance, Best Name was the subject of solid support for the Prix du Jockey-Club, and he duly ran a cracking race in that contest, making great strides in the home straight, and he would have surely won had it been run over its original trip. Given that that was just the third run of his career, the selection has unlimited scope for improvement. Although he hasn't raced on ground faster than good, there is no reason to suspect that the likely good to firm going at The Curragh will pose a problem for Best Name. The eventual French Derby winner, Darsi, looks pretty short at 11/4 for this race in my opinion. The Polish Precedent colt scored over 1m4f110yds on his penultimate start, so he is proven over the Irish derby trip, which is a plus point. However, he benefited from a sound tactical ride from Belgian rider Cristophe Soumillon at Chantilly and, although he was nicely on top in the end, the outcome is likely to be very different now that Best Name is stepping up to a mile and a half. Dragon Dancer was a nostril hair in front of Dylan Thomas when they finished second and third respectively in the Vodafone Derby behind Sir Percy, with Best Alibi back in sixth, and Mountain in eighth, both of whom are set to re-oppose on July 2. The best of the quartet may prove to be the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Best Alibi, who didn't appear to handle the idiosyncratic nature of Epsom, hanging left in the home straight, looking ill at ease on the adverse camber, but staying on to be beaten just over three lengths in the end. Best Alibi will relish the predicted fast surface at The Curragh, and rates a live danger to the second. Indeed, there could be a topical forecast in the offing, Best Name beating Best Alibi. Dylan Thomas and Mountain are both worthy contenders for the Aidan O'Brien team, but there has been a good word for another Ballydoyle entry, Puerto Rico. It will be interesting to see which horse Kieren Fallon opts to ride. Verdict - 1pt Best Name @ 5/1 (Ladbrokes)