CURRAGH REPORT: ANY CONCERNS that New Approach's morning defection from yesterday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby might have robbed the classic of any drama quotient were banished with a vengeance as Aidan O'Brien's 16 to 1 outsider Frozen Fire emerged the winner in an incident-packed finish.

Frozen Fire was a second successive winner of Ireland's most prestigious race for jockey Séamus Heffernan after Soldier Of Fortune's nine-length romp last year. But if Soldier Of Fortune's 2007 victory was clear cut, this was anything but.

The apparent O'Brien first-string Alessandro Volta struck for home early in the straight and looked to have secured a significant advantage over the favourite, Tartan Bearer, until Johnny Murtagh's mount started drifting dramatically to the left at the furlong pole, changing the entire complexion of the race.

Curtain Call was badly hampered and became the meat in a sandwich between Alessandro Volta and Tartan Bearer, who was also hampered.

Pat Smullen seized the opportunity on Casual Conquest to pounce on that trio but Heffernan's late run from the back on Frozen Fire eventually trumped the lot of them.

Initial incredulity from the Curragh crowd at what they'd just seen disappeared as celebrations began for O'Brien's sixth winner of the Irish Derby.

The champion trainer now holds the record for the race along with his Ballydoyle predecessor Vincent O'Brien.

"This is a very special race and a full test of a mile and a half horse. The Curragh is always fair and consistent and the best horse usually wins. There are never any excuses," O'Brien said, although yesterday's Classic looked an exception to that.

It was no surprise that Alessandro Volta was subsequently demoted by the stewards from third place to fourth behind Tartan Bearer.

There was some surprise, however, that he wasn't placed behind Curtain Call, who looked the worst affected.

But Luca Cumani's horse remained in fifth as the stewards weren't satisfied that Alessandro Volta had improved his position in relation to Curtain Call with his interference.

"They took me out of the race," reported Curtain Call's jockey Fran Berry, though, while Tartan Bearer's trainer Michael Stoute said: "We were carried half way across the track. It certainly didn't help him. They pushed him on and on and on."

Murtagh escaped any penalty from the stewards and explained afterwards: "I thought he might stop drifting when he met the others but he didn't. He's a very placid horse at home and I didn't think he'd do that. But it's a good result for the team and I'm delighted for Séamus."

Heffernan (35) was winning his fourth Irish classic aboard a horse who is now a 6 to 1 shot with Ladbrokes for the St Leger.

"I was very pleased with his last bit of work and I hoped I'd ride him today. I rode him to run well and it just happened," he said.

Plenty certainly happened but O'Brien excused Alessandro Volta's erratic passage by saying: "When he turned in and saw the Curragh in front of him he'd never seen anything like that before. He's a baby who's still growing up."

Certainly O'Brien's willingness to forgive a horse a poor run paid off in spades with Frozen Fire who finished only 11th behind New Approach at Epsom with Michael Kinane on board.

"The pace dropped in the middle part of the race at Epsom and he got trapped last. Mick came in and said to forget that and that he was a very good horse. How right he was," said O'Brien.

The trainer's statistical dominance of Ireland's Classics was only emphasised by yesterday's win which was his sixth Irish classic in a row.

O'Brien is also the only trainer to win the Irish Derby three times in a row after Soldier Of Fortune and Dylan Thomas in 2006.

In contrast, Dermot Weld's Group One season continues to throw up near misses but there were still plenty positives for the local trainer in Casual Conquest's second placing.

"He has reversed placings from Epsom with Tartan Bearer and he is still improving," Weld said.

"We will target the Arc and I don't know if he will run in the Irish Champion Stakes before that."

The great imponderable, however, is how New Approach's presence might have impacted yesterday's race and plans for where the Epsom hero will reappear after pulling out lame yesterday morning are unclear.

"He is still not sound. We will take scans and X-rays tomorrow and we will know more then," said his trainer Jim Bolger who ruled out this Saturday's Eclipse at Sandown.

Many bookmakers yesterday confirmed they will refund all ante-post bets on New Approach in the Irish Derby, with Paddy Power estimating the move will cost them almost €250,000.

Keeping O'Brien's horses on-side is probably a tactic that will help balance the books again as yesterday's big win was his 11th Group One of the year. Emulating 2001's record tally of 23 top-flight victories doesn't look beyond the bounds of possibility if this form continues.

Mastercraftsman could add to it later this year based on the odds on favourite's short head defeat of Alahaban in the Group Two Railway Stakes, after which the winner got 20 to 1 quotes for next year's 2,000 Guineas.

One man willing to take him on, however, appears to be Britain's "King of the Sprints", Dandy Nicholls, whose Tax Free led a British clean sweep of the Group Three Sapphire Stakes.

"Tell Aidan O'Brien if I come to Ireland he'll lose his f****** championship!" grinned the Yorkshireman.

Somehow, it doesn't seem likely that Paddy Power will recoup their money betting on that!

Moore fined €1,000 for incident

IT WAS a frustrating day for Ryan Moore, with Tartan Bearer finishing only third in the Irish Derby but also a costly one for Britain's leading rider after he had earlier picked up a €1,000 fine for an incident with security personnel at the Curragh, writes Brian O'Connor

The former champion jockey, who is on top of the current championship table in Britain, was penalised under Turf Club regulations 272 and 273 which include rules relating to "violent of improper conduct."

A report stated that Moore became "aggressive when refused entry at a restricted area for which he did not have proper accreditation."

The jockey apologised at the subsequent inquiry, which the stewards took into account before imposing the fine.

Betting figures showed a significant drop with bookmaker turnover of €2,150,354, down €371,241 on last year.

The Tote was also down from last year's €1,176,900 to €884,015. The 28,327 crowd was about 500 down on last year.