Zawraq Derby Trial-Bound

Sheikh Hamdan’s Zawraq (Ire) (Shamardal), the unbeaten winner of the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial Apr. 12, is likely to bypass the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas May 23 and instead take in the May 10 G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown. 
Zawraq is 8-1 for the G1 Investec Derby June 6. Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan, said, “Sheikh Hamdan will, all being well, be over [at Newmarket] this weekend, so we’ll talk about it then, but I think it’s probably more than likely he’ll run next weekend in the Derrinstown Derby Trial. I know that is what [trainer Dermot] Weld and [jockey Pat] Smullen want to do, so we’ll discuss it with Sheikh Hamdan and then make a decision. That’s probably the way we’re going.” 

Gold added, “The other option is the Irish [2000] Guineas, but that is another two weeks on and whether it would be sensible to wait for that, I’m not sure. We don’t have too many potential Derby horses and he is probably the best of them.”