Racing NewsThe odds-on favourite, North Light, has eased slightly in the betting for Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby but he still got a vote of confidence from the trainer of two of his main rivals yesterday.
John Gosden confirmed that both Percussionist and Day Flight, fourth at Epsom and Chantilly respectively, will take their chances in the premier Irish classic.
They join the likes of Rule Of Law and Let The Lion Roar who have already been beaten twice by North Light but who are still lining up for another crack at Michael Stoute's Epsom hero.
Gosden, however, is not underestimating the task facing his horses against North Light who was eased to 4 to 5 by Paddy Power yesterday.
"I think North Light is a very legitimate favourite and on all known form he should win," he conceded.
"He won the Derby on fast going and the Dante on good to soft so he will have no problems with the ground.
"We are running for the simple reason that it is a very valuable race and really it is the only race left for top three-year-olds to take each other on over a mile and a half before they have to take on the older horses.
"It's a logical step for us. Our horses are by Sadler's Wells so there is every hope they will get the good ground they like. Certainly if it was firm they wouldn't be travelling," Gosden added.
The ground at the Curragh remains good and no change is expected before the Derby with the Met Office predicting there could be as much as half an inch of rain falling overnight tonight.
"Hopefully the band of rain that is forecast for the country should keep things right for the weekend," said the Curragh manager Paul Hensey.
"The ground was good all around the track today."
Percussionist is the shortest priced of the Gosden pair at 8 to 1 but the trainer isn't underestimating Day Flight's effort when fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club.
"In fairness the ground had dried out a good deal for the French Derby. He got left in front from three furlongs out which was quite daunting for a horse having just the third race of his life. It was a very creditable effort at Chantilly," he said.
Richard Hughes will again team up with Day Flight while Kevin Darley, who rode Percussionist for the first time at Epsom, keeps the ride on the Lingfield Trial winner.
Aidan O'Brien has six left in the Derby and the Curragh authorities believe the Ballydoyle trainer could leave as many as five in the race at today's final declaration stage.
The first Group One prize at the Curragh will be tomorrow's Audi Pretty Polly Stakes for which only six fillies were nominated at yesterday's declaration stage.
They are headed by the Jim Bolger-trained Alexander Goldrun who ran fourth to Latice in the French Oaks on her last start.
Ivowen and Livadiya make up the home team while last year's winner Hanami is joined by Chorist and Soldera in the British challenge.
