Selective watering taking place ahead of Derby Weekend The Curragh is preparing for Derby Weekend starting on Friday, with selective watering underway at the course. The €1.25m Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is the feature race on the three-day festival, where racing begins on Friday and hosts the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes on Saturday. Clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan says “on the round course, it is good ground following selective watering. The straight course is good, good to firm in places and selective watering will commence on it. We have fresh ground on both courses for the weekend and stalls will be in the centre for all sprint races. “Speaking with Met Eireann this morning, the forecast is very unpredictable. There is rain forecast but amounts are very uncertain. Tomorrow night, into Thursday, is forecast for the bulk of the rain and while that could be 3mm, it could also be 10mm, so they are very unsure. “It is then due to be unseasonably windy on Friday but Saturday and Sunday doesn’t look too bad at the moment.”
