Jim Bolger-trained Trading Leather has won the Irish Derby at the Curragh on the weekend.
It was Bolger’s second success in the Irish classic after St Jovite won in 1992. Trading Leather was ridden by Kevin Manning, beat Galileo Rock (9-1) with Festive Cheer 3rd at 33-1.
Aidan O’Brien had his eye set on an eighth straight win in Ireland’s premier classic with his Epsom Derby winner and odds-on favourite Ruler Of The World. The 3YO was ridden by Ryan Moore at Epsom but the trainer’s son, Joseph, was getting back on board on the colt for the first time since he won his maiden at the track in April. However Ruler Of The World was never a winning chance when finished 5th behind Trading Leather.
O’Brien offered no excuses for Ruler Of The World, saying: “There’s a big chance the gallop caught him out, at Epsom they went slow and he kicked and won but he wasn’t going away at the finish then.
“He also did get very warm, which he hadn’t done at Epsom.”
The horse that Ruler of the World defeated at Epsom, Libertarian, was another to disappoint, trailing in last but one of the nine runners.
Bolger summed up the win succinctly, declaring: “It doesn’t get much better than this.”
The winner is now 5-1 for next month’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
By Owens Wong
