2013 Irish Derby Festival

The Irish Derby is one of the top betting events of the year in Ireland – for serious punters and for the tens of thousands of more casual fans who wager on their favorite horses just in keeping with the spirit of fun and excitement that surrounds derby day.

By the time of the Irish Derby, it’s generally already clear which three-year-old thoroughbreds are among the top ones to watch. Major flat races such as the English and Irish Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the French Prix du Jockey Club have already helped identify outstanding performers. This makes Irish Derby betting a little less unpredictable than betting on earlier races limited to three-year-olds – so keeping your eye on Irish Derby odds leading up to the race is a good way to go.

Saturday, June 29

June 2013 began with a Classic and it includes a second on this scintillating Saturday. The contest in question is the €1.25 million Group 1 2400m Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and it may well feature the winner of the earlier Epsom equivalent. Other attractions on the Curragh’s eight-race card are the €95,000 Group 2 1200m Railway Stakes, the €62,500 Group 3 1000m Sapphire Stakes and the €45,000 Listed 1600m Celebration Stakes.

Featured Races:

• Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1) 2,400m
• Railway Stakes (Group 2) 1,200m
• Sapphire Stakes (Group 3) 1,000m 

Sunday, June 30

A month of brilliant action ends with another outstanding fixture at the Curragh. Once again, the Irish course stages a Group 1 contest, this time the €190,000 2000m Pretty Polly Stakes, for fillies and mares. The eight-race schedule also includes three Group 3 events – the €62,500 2800m Curragh Cup, the €60,000 2000m International Stakes and the €52,500 1200m Balanchine Stakes – as well as three ultra-competitive handicaps.

Featured Races:

•  Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) 2,000m

Irish Derby Festival Betting Tips

With O’Brien’s impressive total of ten wins and two wins apiece by trainers Dermot Weld and John Oxx since 1995, it’s clear that Irish trainers have taken the lead in the Irish Derby. In recent years there has been some competition from the French, but little from the English.

It’s worth noting that Dermot Weld’s and John Oxx’s stables are located in the area surrounding the Curragh – giving them added familiarity with the track.

Handicapping The Irish Derby Festival

Many TwinSpries.com players are familiar with Brisnet.com’s great information for races coast to coast, but The Handicapper’s Edge also provides top information for international racing, including Timeform, Daily Selections on selected days, and FREE American-style past performances with Class Ratings.

Timeform ($10) is the European standard when it comes to rating a horse’s performance on class and speed, and each day’s product includes ratings and commentary for each runner.

Brisnet.com’s International PPs (free) include the proprietary Class Ratings, which is a numerical measure of a horse’s performance in that race based on the competition’s performance in other races.

Daily Selections ($7) is available for special events such as the Dubai World Cup, Royal Ascot, Champions Day, and the Epsom Derby. It provides analysis of top contenders in each race as well as best bets for the card.

Not a Brisnet.com member? Sign-up today to take advantage of free past performances not only on international races but also all Thoroughbred races when you wager with TwinSpires.com.

Past Irish Derby Winners in the 2000’s