Irish Derby Weekend Lucky 15: Four horses to follow The Irish Derby weekend is here, and it looks set to be a cracking weekend of racing, kicking off on Friday. Here are four selections across Saturday and Sunday which I feel can go very close. 14:45 Saturday — Meriden Meriden has been a model of consistency since landing a gamble at Down Royal Racecourse. She's backed that up with two very, very impressive successes, one notably coming at the Curragh soon after, and again on her last start at Leopardstown. It looks like Denis Hogan has found the key to this filly, and I can't see her stopping this weekend. I feel that we haven't even seen her get into a real battle yet in her last two starts, and when she does, I feel that she will be favoured to come out on top. She has a really, really good attitude, and with course-and-distance form, I feel that's a big plus for this weekend. 15:55 Saturday - Estrange The next selection also comes on Saturday, and it is Estrange in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes. It's probably a brave selection considering she is going up against Thundering, who was so impressive in the Epsom Oaks, but Estrange is a filly that's battle-hardened and has plenty of experience and class on her side. She was an excellent winner on her seasonal return at Carlisle, and I feel she'll be fitter for this race, with her class just enough to hold off Thundering, who looks a superb filly going forward. 15:20 Sunday - Purview We now move on to Sunday, and Purview is the one that everyone needs to back for me in the International Stakes. He's a gorgeous son of Kingman who showed his class on his reappearance this season when easily dismantling the field in the Orby Stakes, and for me, this is a Group 1 horse who can win further Group 1s this season. So I really feel he has a superb chance for Juddmonte and Dermot Weld. 16:35 Sunday - James J Braddock My final selection for the Lucky 15 comes in the Irish Derby, and I'm going to stick with James J Braddock for Joseph O'Brien. It's well known that he had an absolutely fantastic Royal Ascot meeting with five winners, and I feel that his team are in such great form that I'm willing to take a chance on James J Braddock, who ran a superb race when third in the Epsom Derby. You could probably mark up his performance, given that he was quite mischievous in the parade before the race and may have exerted too much energy to win. But he still ran a career-best third, and I feel like his experience in the Derby will be a big help to him. I can see this horse giving Joseph O'Brien, Kevin Blake, and all the team down there another superb day and another Classic. Get a host of free bets with BOYLE Sports
