It may not compare to winning the Kentucky version three times but the American jockey Gary Stevens gets the chance to add another Derby to his CV when he travels to Down Royal today for the £50,000 Ulster Harp Derby.
Despite his mount Nash House being no Winning Colours or Silver Charm, Stevens is sure to be a major attraction for the expected large crowd and Nash House cannot be discounted given some improvement on his second to Mudaa-eb at Leopardstown a month ago.
Indeed "not discounted" is a phrase that can be applied to most of these but perhaps the last one to be ignored is John Oxx's runner Winged Hussar.
Not so much on his last run when out the back behind River Pilot at the Curragh but before that at Leopardstown when an easy five and a half length scorer from Francis Bay. It's worth betting that that Curragh effort was too bad to be true from Winged Hussar and Lisieux Rose and Try For Ever are nominated as the dangers.
Oxx can also get on the scoresheet with Senora, fifth to Seasonal Style on her debut, in the last while the Coolmore Oaks Handicap looks a good opportunity for Jim Bolger's Evanilda to follow up her easy Leopardstown success last time.
Down south in Killarney the ground is also likely to remain on the fast side and that should suit the pace-forcing Persian Life around the two miles and a furlong of the opening handicap chase.
A stumble at the sixth in his last race at Wexford ruined Persian Life's chance behind Greenflag Princess but a hurdle win at Fairyhouse and a chase at Navan showed what this headstrong type can do if allowed to dictate.
The most valuable race is the £20,000 Murphy's Handicap Hurdle and on this ground Tigullio, a length winner over Nordic Isle on the flat at Tipperary, will be hard to beat and Gers Gold and Willyever, placed behind Mystic Ridge last time, can also score.
Ramruma, who completed the English-Irish Oaks double on Sunday at the Curragh, could bypass the Rothmans Royals St Leger in favour of a bid for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 3rd. Bookmakers Coral made the Henry Cecil-trained filly a 4 to 1 chance for Doncaster.
