2022 Irish Derby Ante-Post Tip – Dave Stevos
2022 Irish Derby Ante-Post Tip
It is a massive upcoming weekend on the Irish Racing Calendar at the Curragh. The Irish Derby is the feature and Aidan O’Brien has a great record in this race. He has won it a total of 14 times since his first in 1997 and from 2017 to 2020 ‘The Lads’ owned 11 of the 12 horses that finished in the first three. However, with Westover the clear favourite, could it be the second year in a row that a UK raider takes home the prize? Tuesday was supplemented today and now 16 horses remain in the running. Dave Stevos’ likes one at a price e/w, check out his 2022 Irish Derby Ante-Post tip below.
2022 Irish Derby Preview
Of the 16 horses remaining, 9 are trained by either Aidan, Donnacha or Joseph O’Brien. The fact that O’Brien senior has supplemented Tuesday suggests to me that he thinks his colts aren’t up to scratch. At Epsom he ran three and subsequent Ascot G2 winner Changingoftheguard fared best in 5th.
He was 7L behind today’s favourite Westover, who finished in 3rd. Stone Age was another 2L back in 6th so it looks like those two could struggle to get any closer to the English raider. Tuesday was a rather fortunate winner of the Oaks and on another day, she’d have only finished a well beaten 2nd, just like she did in the Irish Guineas.
Joseph has three runners and he trains the one I’ll be taking a chance on. Hannibal Barca is the shortest of his three but I’m not sure about fast ground for him. Buckaroo is a 20/1 poke but you’d have to worry about the 12f trip and likely quick conditions. He is better than he showed last time out admittedly and he did stay on well over 10f on soft in France over 10f last season. However, I am going to take a chance on the outsider of Joseph’s three.
Vega Interesting
Unlike most of his market rivals, Vera Magnifico is untested at this lofty level. By Lope De Vega, he only saw the track once last year, a decent run at Naas (7f gd). He finished 4th, beat 2.25L, and the form worked out well. The winner went close in a G3 and G2 subsequently and is now rated 106. The runner up since placed in a G3 and is rated 101. The 3rd, Anchorage, re-opposes here and he is rated 102 after placing in a G3.
That was it for 2021 and he reappeared at Leopardstown in April. This time he ran green and probably needed the run but he ran well to finish 4th. Again, that looks a decent race now. Boundless Ocean won and is now rated 102 and could run on Saturday. The runner up Flying Dolphin was an unlucky 5th off 92 in the King George V at Ascot. The 3rd, Temple of Artemis subsequently hacked up in a Chester Handicap off 88.
Made No Mistake
Vega Magnifico made no mistake on his third maiden start at Navan (10f gd). This time you could see he knew his job much better and Dylan Browne-McMonagle rode him with confidence. Once he pushed the button 1f out his colt quickened nicely and put the race to bed. He had Newfoundland 3.25L behind and he wasn’t disgraced at Ascot behind Flying Dolphin off 90.
The fact that he won so well over 10f at a stiff track like Navan bodes well for his first try at 12f. His half brother Memphis Tennessee won over 13f and finished a close 4th in the Epsom Derby so he is bred for this job. He is also entered in the 10f Group 2 after the Derby so that is a bit of a worry. Hopefully connections decide to have a crack at the big one and if they do, Vega Magnifico could outrun his odds of 50/1.
