Foley excited by Green mount in Irish Derby Shane Foley feels Green Impact is a ‘lively outsider’ as he gears up for a crack at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh next Sunday. The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding had some very smart juvenile form, beating Delacroix on two occasions including in a Group 2 contest on Irish Champions Weekend. The son of Wootton Bassett was sixth on his return this season in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and returned to winning ways in the Listed Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown earlier this month. Foley believes his mount will benefit from stepping up in trip now and he told journalist Dave Keena:- “I think he’s been crying out for it to be honest. “We started him off in the Guineas at Newmarket and I don’t think the track played to his strengths. “It was a muddling kind of race, they went slow and quickened and he got a bit unbalanced. He actually pulled a shoe the same day. “In fairness Kate (Harrington) and Jessie got him back and got him freshened up. He came back and I thought it was a good battling performance against older horses (in the Glencairn Stakes). “I think he’ll enjoy the Curragh and enjoy the mile-and-a-half. “He’s a bit of a dosser at home, he wouldn’t excite you in his homework as he only does what he has to. That’s always a good sign in a horse. “His last 100 yards at Leopardstown were his best and I think the further he was going the better he was going. “It’s definitely something to look forward to and hopefully the ground comes up nice on the day, I’m sure it will. I’ll be looking forward to a good Derby ride.” Harrington nominated the Curragh classic for Green Impact after his Leopardstown win and Foley has always felt that it was the perfect race for the colt. “I’ve always said it. He’s such a laid back character and the way he races gives him every chance. If it’s a case that he doesn’t stay, which I do think he will, he can always come back to a mile-and-a-quarter. “It’s definitely worth a try once. “I’ve never rode a Derby winner but I’ve ridden a few horses that have run well, obviously Sprewell. This is a different type of horse. “The Irish Derby might not be a massive field which will suit him. Surely the English Derby winner will come back and maybe Delacroix could turn up as well, and a few English. “Our lad is going there with a real fighting chance. His two-year-old form is very good and his Guineas run is probably not a bad run now when looked at it in hindsight. “He looks good and well and Sean Byrne who rides him is happy with him. “Sean rides him all the time, he has fallen in for a lot of the good ones down through the years like Cadillac and Pathfork. He knows this horse inside out and he’s a good judge.” The yard endured a frustrating run of placed horses last month but they have been back among the winners lately and Foley added:- “We were having a lot of placed horses, it was a little bit frustrating at times. They were knocking on the door and the ball wasn’t really bouncing for us. Hopefully it turned last week, we had five winners. “Even the outsiders are starting to really run well so I think we could have a fruitful second half of the season and picking up an Irish Derby on the way would be great! “He’s not going to be favourite but he’s going to be a lively outsider. Things can happen and change closer to the time but we’re going there with a fighting chance and he’ll be a good ride.”
