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Sea The Stars
Classic quest: Derby hero Sea The Stars will bid to win the Irish equivalent at the Curragh

Sea The Stars scares off Brits

Simon Milham
23 Jun 2009


There will be no British interest in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby as John Oxx's brilliant colt Sea The Stars has scared off many of his likely opponents.

The son of Cape Cross already has two Classics in the bag this season having become the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to claim the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Derby at Epsom.

He features among 17 entries for the 1m 4f race at the Curragh following today's confirmation stage.

Many of those who took him on at Epsom could try their luck again, including the runner-up Fame And Glory, third placed Masterofthehorse and fifth home Golden Sword, all of whom are trained by Aidan O'Brien. The Ballydoyle handler has also left in Byzantine, Drumbeat, Freemantle, Hail Caesar, Malibu Bay, Rockhampton and Set Sail giving him no less than 10 contenders.

The Jim Bolger-trained Gan Amhras could bid to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Epsom and may be joined by stablemate Ard Na Greine, while Oxx also has two chances having left in Mourayan.

Loch Long, Recharge and The Bull Hayes complete the possibles.

Meanwhile, Richard Hughes, who is set to appeal a six-day ban which will see him miss the July Cup ride on Queen Anne Stakes hero Paco Boy, will renew his partnership with Judgethemoment in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday. Jane Chapple-Hyam's progressive four-year-old landed 2m 4f Ascot Stakes last week and his trainer says he has taken the race well. "He's in excellent form," she said.

The Melbourne Cup has been mooted as a possible target for Judgethemoment, but her Newmarket-based Australian trainer said: "I would sooner go two miles up the road for the Cesarewitch than go halfway round the world. His Hong Kong owner [Gordon Li] is keen to go but I'm on the back foot at the moment."

Hughes is also booked to partner the James Eustace-trained War Artist, who makes his seasonal debut on the same card. The six-year-old has not been seen out since finishing three-quarters of a length behind Marchand D'Or in the July Cup.

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