Jack Heads the Market

JACK HOBBS (pictured), the Investec Derby runner-up, will face a maximum of eight rivals in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday evening.

The nine contenders left in the Classic following the final forfeit and supplementary stage on Tuesday include two fillies - Qualify, the Investec Oaks winner, and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner and Ribblesdale Stakes runner-up Pleascach who is also an acceptor for the Group 1 Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

The Irish Derby acceptors also include four colts who finished behind Jack Hobbs at Epsom - Storm The Stars (third), Giovanni Canaletto (fourth), Kilimanjaro (sixth) and Carbon Dating (eight).

In addition to Qualify, Giovanni Canaletto and Kilimanjaro, Aidan O'Brien, who will be bidding for a 12th Irish Derby win in the 150th running of the event, has left in his Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Highland Reel.

The Dermot Weld-trained Radanpour, unbeaten in three starts, completes the nine.