Blast From The Past: 2005 Irish Derby

There was very much a Gallic flavour to the 2005 Irish Derby, with the Andre Fabre-trained 4/5 favourite Hurricane Run being joined from France by his compatriot Walk In The Park, his closest rival in the market at 100/30. The pair were also both sons of Montjeu who had been such an impressive winner of the Irish Derby six years earlier for Walk In The Park’s trainer John Hammond.

Like his sire, Walk In The Park carried the colours of Michael Tabor for the Coolmore partners who had also bought Hurricane Run (for a rumoured six million pounds) since his previous start in the Prix du Jockey Club. For the Irish Derby, though, Hurricane Run’s jockey Kieren Fallon wore the red and green silks of the German stud which had bred and formerly owned him, Gestut Ammerland, who leased him back for the race.

Hurricane Run and Walk In The Park were both already Derby runners-up; Hurricane Run had been second in the Prix du Jockey Club and Walk In The Park had filled the same position at Epsom. The winners of those two races, Shamardal and Motivator, had been due to meet instead in the Eclipse a week after the Irish Derby, though Motivator ended up winning at Sandown in Shamardal’s absence after the Godolphin colt sustained a career-ending injury days beforehand.

The 2005 Prix du Jockey Club was the first edition of the ‘French Derby’ since it was reduced from the traditional Derby distance to an extended ten furlongs. The shorter trip at Chantilly certainly did no favours to Hurricane Run who finished strongly under Christophe Soumillon to be just a neck behind Shamardal. Among those much further back was Fallon’s mount Scorpion (another son of Montjeu), trained by Aidan O’Brien, who beat only one home, but lined up as another of Hurricane Run’s eight rivals at the Curragh.

Besides Walk In The Park, the Epsom form was also represented at the Curragh by Fracas and Gypsy King who had finished fourth and fifth respectively behind Motivator, while the two British colts in the field, Brahminy Kite and Bahar Shumaal, were among the outsiders.

The anticipated clash between the two French colts didn’t materialise as Walk In The Park (who has since found greater fame as the sire of outstanding chaser Douvan) was the first beaten after pulling too hard. Hurricane Run, on the other hand, saw out the mile and a half really well after turning for home in last place, soon quickening into contention down the outside and staying on well to lead in the final furlong. Hurricane Run edged right when brought to challenge, and Fallon reported afterwards that he was idling in front, but it was a more professional display (after signs of waywardness in some of his French races) from a colt who seemed to be maturing all the time. Hurricane Run was Andre Fabre’s second Irish Derby winner after Winged Love who had been successful in 1995.

With Aidan O’Brien’s first string Gypsy King sustaining an injury early in the race and Fracas another to disappoint, it was the much-improved Scorpion who gave Hurricane Run the most to do. Scorpion went on to win the Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger on his next two starts, but finished down the field behind Hurricane Run when they next met in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

History might well repeat itself at the Curragh on Saturday evening. Andre Fabre’s Irish Derby challenger this year, Waldgeist, was also runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club (beaten even more narrowly than Hurricane Run had been – just a short head) and he too carries the Gestut Ammerland colours, though the Coolmore partners have an interest in him too. Out of a half-sister to St Leger winner Masked Marvel, Waldgeist is bred to be well suited by the step up to a mile and a half.