Dark lands Apprentice Derby for Mulligan Darius Dark completed his hat-trick when claiming the Fitzpatrick’s Apprentice Derby at the Curragh tonight under Rory Mulligan. The Johnny Murtagh-trained gelding went to post 3/1 favourite in the €30,000 contest, to supplement his wins this season at Cork and Leopardstown. Mulligan drove his mount to the front two furlongs from home and he held the late charge of Keepsgettingbetter by neck at the line. The winner, owned by Newtown Anner Stud, was sporting first time cheekpieces today. "He is a lovely horse at home. I won on him before and he did that nicely today,” said Mulligan. “I just sat off the front two for the first half of the race. I just felt that they were going half a stride too quick but I travelled down behind them just before the turn in. “I would have liked to have got a lead for a bit further but he was going that well, I just had to pull him out and kick.  "He was a little bit idle in front but he galloped to the line. I think when he felt the second horse come to him it pushed him along a bit more and he galloped on gamely then." (Quotes by John O’Riordan)
