Elsworth hoping to provide Derby punch
David Elsworth is hoping Classic Punch can evoke memories of his half-brother Persian Punch in Sunday’s Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh.
The popular stayer ran at the Irish venue twice during his amazing 63-race career and although Persian Punch never got his head in front in the Irish St Leger, he only just lost out to Oscar Schindler in 1997.
And Elsworth is hoping Classic Punch, who is also out of the mare Rum Cay, can restore the family honour with a good performance in Sunday’s 12-furlong event.
Winner of a Windsor maiden on his seasonal bow earlier in the month, Classic Punch faces a huge step up to Group One company but Elsworth rates him alongside last week’s Royal Ascot runners.
He said: “We are going there shooting at the stars but this is a good horse. He would compare favourably with his stablemates Degas Art and Snoqualmie Boy (winner of the Hampton Court Stakes).
“Homework is never the same as trackwork but on what he has done so far he looks nice.
“He won well at Windsor and the second horse has franked the form, albeit in a very moderate race. The runner-up also finished third in the Wood Ditton and the winner of that race (Petrovich) ran well at Royal Ascot.
“He is a horse of considerable ability and he could have run at Epsom but the ground was fast and firm there so we thought we would wait for the Curragh.”
Persian Punch never won over less than 10 furlongs and the majority of Rum Cay’s progeny have been winners at that distance or further.
However, Elsworth is not convinced Classic Punch will develop into a stayer as he is by July Cup winner Mozart.
“This will be the furthest he has been but he has only ran three times before,” he added.
“I don’t know about him getting further than a mile and a half – he is related to Persian Punch but you have to remember he is by Mozart as well.
“He is not a horse who showed a lot early on, but it is like playing poker. The quiet guy in the corner is always the one to watch.
“Whatever he does on Sunday he is a horse to note for the future.”
William Hill make Classic Punch a 12-1 shot to live up to his name while French raider Darsi remains the 7-2 favourite to follow up his success in the French equivalent.
Vodafone Derby third Dylan Thomas, one of five entries for Aidan O’Brien, has been clipped to 4-1 from 5s after some support.
Michael Kinane looks set to resume his association with Best Alibi in the big race after steering Sir Michael Stoute’s colt into second place in the Dante Stakes.
Kinane partnered Septimus, winner of that York trial, for O’Brien at Epsom, with Ryan Moore guiding Best Alibi into sixth place behind Sir Percy.
“I believe Mick Kinane rides him. He rode him in the Dante and I think he’s been approached,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to the colt’s owners, the Gainsborough Stud.
“The horse is much improved since Epsom. He wants it good to firm and definitely doesn’t want it on the soft side.
“Good, maybe good to soft is OK but not soft.
“It’s good to firm now and they are putting water on. Maybe they’ll stop watering now they have got the other horses in the race.”
Best Alibi is 10-1 with Hills to fair better than his sire King’s Best, who suffered a career-ending injury in the 2000 renewal of the Classic.
Budweiser Irish Derby, William Hill bet: 7-2 Darsi, 4-1 Dylan Thomas, 5-1 Gentlewave, 11-2 Best Name, 6-1 Dragon Dancer, 7-1 Papal Bull, 10-1 Best Alibi, Puerto Rico, 12-1 Classic Punch, 14-1 Mountain, 16-1 Heliostatic, 33-1 Cougar Bay, 50-1 Road To Mandalay, 100-1 bar.
