CURRAGH 15:40

All 9 ran.

Time: 2m 33.24s Closing Sectional: (3f): 33.6s (114%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 119%, Betfair SP 100.7%

A purely domestic affair for the 2023 running of the Irish Derby, the race as so often dominated by Aidan O'Brien, supplying the first 3 for the eighth time and adding the fourth for good measure, as he had in 2020, the victory of Auguste Rodin the hundredth in a European classic for his trainer; whether the form amounts to much is, however, open to doubt, the race run at a modest gallop, neither of the winner's main rivals on form performing near their best, the winner himself hard pressed to get the better of a stable companion that had been well behind him at Epsom, the third also appearing to show significant improvement.

AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE) made heavy weather of following up his Epsom victory, clearly not in the same form against essentially weaker opposition, his profile still generally a positive one and his form last time the run on which to judge him; handy, ridden entering straight, led under pressure 2f out, asserted only well inside final 1f; remains open to improvement back in a more truly-run affair.

ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) fared even better than he had in the Derby, again in the role of pacemaker and seen to advantage, setting a modest gallop, but making the winner work very hard and not unduly punished once held; led, travelled well, headed 2f out, shaken up after, not quicken well inside final 1f.

COVENT GARDEN (IRE) up in grade, seemingly showed much improved form, sticking to his task, perhaps helped by being away from soft ground; waited with, shaken up 3f out, carried head bit awkwardly, kept on final 1f, made no impression.

PEKING OPERA (IRE) ran about as well as could have been expected upped in grade, doing his best work late on, that he came from behind the likes of Sprewell and White Birch not saying much for their efforts; in rear, took keen hold, forced to swerve around stricken horse approaching straight, stayed on after 2f out, nearest at the finish.

UP AND UNDER (FR) wasn't disgraced over 2f longer trip, though without posing a threat from off a modest pace, up in grade, raced on much softer ground previously; held up, pushed along entering straight, not quicken.

SPREWELL (IRE) disappointed, though he was poorly positioned the way the race developed and was quite badly inconvenienced by the stricken San Antonio, aslo said by his rider to have hung right; held up, pushed along over 4f out, hampered soon after, made no impression straight.

PROUD AND REGAL (IRE) fared no better than he had in the Irish Guineas, possibly not seeing the longer trip out, though probably best given a pass for this effort given the interference he met courtesy of the stricken San Antonio; in touch, badly hampered 4f out, no extra 2f out.

WHITE BIRCH ran poorly, a much more steadily-run race partly to blame, unable to produce a strong finish in the way that he had the last twice; held up, forced to hurdle stricken rider under 4f out, ridden over 3f out, not quicken, dropped away final 1f.

SAN ANTONIO (IRE) met a sad end; tracked pace, broke down and unseated rider 4f out, suffered fatal injury.