The French trained colt Dream Well and his American rider Cash Asmussen won yesterday's Budweiser Irish Derby and sent those who made them the 2 to 1 favourites home happy from the race that almost wasn't.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, heavy rain put Ireland's premier classic under real threat and only a herculean effort from the Curragh ground staff allowed the track passed a seven o'clock inspection.

Water was still being pumped off the racecourse an hour later and while the Derby got the green light, the going was extremely testing.

It didn't matter to Dream Well and he became only the third French Derby winner to also land the Irish Derby. The Pascal Bary trained colt finished four and a half lengths clear of the Epsom Derby runner up City Honours with the 40 to 1 outsider Desert Fox a length back in third.