Twomey on weather watch for French Claim French Claim bids to represent in-form Paddy Twomey in Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh. Twomey told Dave Keena that the plan is to run, but he’s hoping for some rain ahead of the big race. The Cashel-based trainer said: "We swerved Epsom and we gave him the time for maybe the Irish Derby. "In an ideal world he would like a drop of rain, I think he is probably a bit better with a bit of juice in the ground. We'll see what the week does. "If we could, we would run him. "Yes he has (come on from his run at Leopardstown), I'd say that ground was plenty quick for him that day. It was probably a better run in the softer ground at Cork the previous time. "He is a horse that is learning on the job and might say the best is yet to come with him." French Claim was last seen finishing third in the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown in May. The French-bred colt has two victories in his locker - a median auction maiden at Listowel and by nine lengths in a conditions race at Cork in April.
