Dushyantor can cope with Mr Massini

DUSHYANTOR, a rapidly closing length and a quarter runner up to Shaamit in the Epsom Derby having had little luck in running, is probably the form horse for tomorrow's Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh. It is regrettable that the enforced absence of Shaamit has at least postponed an intriguing rematch but the race has attracted the much lauded Dr Massini, ante post favourite for the Derby before being withdrawn through injury, and Polaris Flight, narrowly and possibly unluckily beaten in the French Derby.

Dushyantor, who started favourite at Epsom, was hampered and lost his place after three furlongs. He had made up a lot of ground after turning for home and, switched two furlongs down, gave chase to Shaamit who had gone for his race a furlong and a half out - arguably a little too early. Dushyantor's rider Pat Eddery believes he might have finished closer with a clearer passage but would not have beaten the winner. And that is a theory we were all hoping would have been put to the test tomorrow.

The Curragh track is likely to suit Dushyantor better than Epsom and Henry Cecil's charge is said to be spot on for the big race, having had a good gallop over a mile last Wednesday. It is significant that owner Khalid Abdullah has expended £60,000 to supplement Private Song as pacemaker to Dushyantor. The latter is a half brother to Commander In Chief who completed the coveted Epsom Irish Derby double three years ago and his sire, the great Sadler's Wells, is already responsible for 33 Group One winners including Irish Derby heroine Salsabil. He is also the sire of Dr Massini.

It was widely reported that Michael Kinane was very impressed with Dr Massini when he won a conditions race at York in May. That, according to the jockey, was an exaggeration. "He is a nice horse," he told me recently and that is that.

Nonetheless, the laid back Dr Massini sufficiently impressed the bookmakers who made him favourite for the Derby. He went lame on his near fore three days before the big race, having jarred his off fore a week earlier. This lightly raced colt had not run until early May as he had been east in his box and bruised a hock. He won his maiden at Kempton and then stayed on strongly to win a true run 10 furlong race at York, beating the highly regarded King Alex - who has not subsequently run - by three and a half lengths. Owner Michael Tabor had his first prestigious European success when his Grape Tree Road recently won the Grand Prix de Paris.

The success of Grape Tree Road has encouraged connections of Polaris Flight who ran Ragmar to a nose in the French Derby and was reckoned by his rider Michael Kinane to have been unlucky. The Chantilly Classic was boosted by Grape Tree Road who had finished in seventh place. However, this year's Prix du Jockey Club is not as highly rated as its Epsom equivalent.

Clive Brittain is never averse to taking on the best and his charge Amfortas recently won the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot where he did it the hard way by making all the running ]and holding on by half a length. He relegated Shantou to third place a neck away. As Shantou had finished a length and a quarter behind Dushyantor in the Epsom Derby, the fast improving Amfortas is not without his chance tomorrow.

Alhaarth has disappointed this season. Blinkers will be tried for the first time on Hamdan Al Maktoum's colt but on Epsom running he has about two and a half lengths to make up on Dushyantor.

I take Dushyantor to win from Dr Massini and Amfortas. Pat Eddery, who is riding in his 14th Irish Derby, has won the race on Grundy (1975), El Gran Senor (1984), Law Society (1985) and Commander In Chief (1993). Henry Cecil saddled Old Vic to win in 1989.

The Group Two Sea World International has not produced a formidable British challenge and there is every chance Timarida and Idris can hold them at bay. If she does not burst - as she did at Ascot - Timarida should win. The going and distance is in her favour, though she faces a doughty rival in the marvellously consistent Idris.

Daylight In Dubai, two and a half lengths adrift of Verglas in the Coventry Stakes, will be fancied to win the Group Three P V Doyle Memorial Railway Stakes but preference is for Verglas' stable companion Quws, well thought of and likely to improve from his last win at Leopardstown.

If Humbel is to do well in the Irish St Leger, he would need to go close in the Group Three Curragh Cup over the St Leger distance. However, he may not find it that easy to give the weight to the smart English trained filly Spout. Incidentally, Dermot Weld won last year's corresponding race with the dual Irish St Leger winner Vintage Crop.

The Mark Johnston trained Double Quick, a two year old winner at the Curragh on her debut, was out of her depth in the Kings Stand Stakes but on earlier Sandown running has good prospects in the John Roarty Memorial Scurry for which the ultra consistent The Bower is just preferred.

. The Festival weekend got under way last evening with the apprentices version of the Derby, run over tomorrow's big race course, and it went to the Dermot Weld trained Layik.

After a muddling pace early on, the contest turned into a sprint from the turn in, with Taklis and Gavin Dunne holding the ad vantage, until Layik and Darragh O'Donohoe edged ahead close home. The fast finishing L'Opera was back in third place.

Weld saddled Hamad, a warm order for the Silken Thomas handicap, but after meeting trouble in running under Mick Kinane over a furlong from home, finished third behind the Kevin Prendergast trained Qualtron, with Inchacooley splitting the pair.

A stewards inquiry was promptly called but no alteration was made to the placings after which Prendergast said he will go for the Golden Pages Handicap at Leopardstown with his 9 to 1 winner.

John Oxx nominated the MacDonogh Handicap at Galway next month for Harghar after the El Gran Senor colt stayed on well to head Flaunt inside the final furlong in the Chapmans Volvo Handicap.

Oxx, who landed the MacDonogh Handicap with Timarida last season, added "He's tough and genuine and battled well to win."

The Curragh trainer went on to complete a double in the Conlan and Sons Maiden with Khairaz, who justified odds on favouritism with a two and a half lengths success under champion rider John Murtagh.