Frankie Dettori swoops for Lone Eagle ride as he seeks another Classic success

Frankie Dettori will ride Lone Eagle in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday as he seeks a third Classic victory of the season.

Dettori has captured the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks this season on the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of Mother Earth and Snowfall, and takes over on Lone Eagle at the weekend with regular jockey Silvestre de Sousa required to ride for King Power Racing.

Trainer Martyn Meade said: “Frankie’s going to ride him. Silvestre is riding for his retainer this weekend, so Frankie was on straight away to ride him which we thought was significant as there are a number of good races in Britain this weekend.

Irish Derby entries

“We’ve had some good success together before and he’s a great man to have on your side.”

Owned by Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm, the Australia-based racing and breeding operation of Hong Kong casino operator Tony Fung, Lone Eagle had been under consideration for the Derby before he was ruled out by a dirty scope.

However, Meade believes the more conventional layout at the Curragh will suit his runner better than Epsom in any case as he seeks to give Dettori a first Irish Derby win since Balanchine in 1994. Lone Eagle is available at 15-2 for Saturday's Group 1, with High Definition heading the betting at 7-4.

“We’re all set to go [to Ireland] and he’s in fine form,” Meade said. “He had a bit of mucus in his scope before Epsom so we didn’t run there but that didn’t come to anything and he’s really well at home.

“I think the Irish Derby will be a better place for him anyway as it’s a more conventional track and he’s not a horse who’s going to have a burst of speed like I think you need to win the Derby.

“The softer the ground the better for him although he’s versatile and we don’t have any concerns if the ground is not like that.”

Lone Eagle had been primed for Epsom with victory in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last month where he reversed form with Yibir, who had finished in front of him in the Classic Trial at Sandown in April.

The Sandown contest has already proven one of the strongest of the season with Derby winner Adayar finishing second and winner Alenquer going on to land the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.

Despite the benefit of hindsight when assessing the race, Meade remains convinced Lone Eagle did not show his best when finishing fourth that day.

“He’s a funny horse as he doesn’t show us much but once he gets to the course and he gets out there doing what he wants he shows plenty and he keeps finding for you,” he said.

“At Sandown we were disappointed as he wasn’t himself and seemed to run a little flat. Even taking into account that the race has worked out very well, I think he could’ve run better on the day than he did.”

Among Lone Eagle's 16 potential rivals will be Derby second Mojo Star, who was supplemented at a cost of €75,000 by trainer Richard Hannon and owner Amo Racing, and Hurricane Lane, who was one place behind Mojo Star at Epsom.

Mojo Star belied his 50-1 odds at Epsom when runner-up, and has finished second in each of his three racecourse appearances. He also holds entries in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes and Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with connections potentially plotting an ambitious campaign for the three-year-old.

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