Harrington hopeful with Irish Derby contender Gold Maze Jessica Harrington has had her horses in sparkling form since racing resumed and is planning to let Gold Maze take his chance in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. A son of 2015 Epsom Derby and Arc winner Golden Horn, he was third in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes behind subsequent Vertem Futurity runner-up Innisfree on his second and final outing as a two-year-old. On his first outing of 2020 he was headed inside the final furlong when running second to another Irish Derby possible Crossfirehurricane in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes back at the Curragh earlier this month. Generally priced around 10/1 before Thursday’s final declaration stage, the trainer is hopeful that the step up to twelve furlongs will benefit her contender. “He’s a horse with very low mileage. He’s actually still a maiden. "He was third in the Beresford last year and on his first run this year he was just pipped on the post by Crossfirehurricane. "I think he’s only learning his trade. I think he’s come on a lot from that run. "The ground will have an ease in it. I was actually worried running him the last day on good to firm ground but he handled it well. I think he’ll appreciate the ease in the ground and the two extra furlongs. "It’s been sort of a crazy year in the fact that we usually had a pattern of what races you’d go to, run in, and then end up in one of the Group races this weekend. "But this year it’s been very topsy turvy and a lot of the time you’re just stabbing in the dark."
