G3 Royal Whip S.

With the shockwaves from the news that Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) would miss the Derby only just fizzled out, Ballydoyle's leading 3-year-old jumps back into the season just past its halfway mark on Saturday for the G3 Fitzdares Royal Whip S. at The Curragh. Sustaining an injury after his gallant third in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Apr. 30, last year's G1 Futurity Trophy and G2 Beresford S. winner is re-entering the fray at an ideal moment with the Derby and Oaks protagonists either sidelined or with question marks...

The Coolmore partners' Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), a one-time G1 Cazoo Derby favourite until meeting with a setback in the spring, will reappear in the G3 Royal Whip S., according to trainer Aidan O'Brien. Held at the Curragh on Aug. 13, the 10-furlong event will be the starting point for the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. and G2 Beresford S. hero. If all goes well in the Royal Whip, a start in the Sept. 10 G1 Irish Champion S. is also possible for the 3-year-old colt later in the season....

Aidan O'Brien takes the wraps off the long-absent Innisfree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on Friday, with the 2019 G2 Beresford S. winner and G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up returning in The Curragh's 10-furlong G3 Royal Whip S. Not seen since his 3 1/4-length defeat by Kameko (Kitten's Joy) in that juvenile highlight staged on Newcastle's Tapeta in November of that season, the full-brother to High Definition (Ire) faces a tough tasking giving five pounds to the course-and-distance G3 Gallinule S. winner and G1 Irish Derby fourth Earlswood (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Also on...