Irish Derby: ‘Improving’ Bunyola Bay taking on O’Brien big guns

Sean Levey feels it is well worth rolling the dice with the improving Bunyola Bay in Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Richard Hannon’s colt has already made one successful trip to Ireland this summer having dominated from the front in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic at Gowran Park in early June, a victory which earned him a free ticket to the Curragh Classic.

The son of Ghaiyyath will have significantly more on his plate when he takes on Derby hero Christmas Day, his stablemate and vanquished Epsom favourite Benvenuto Cellini and the unbeaten Raaheeb in a field of eight – but having spent the formative years of his riding career in Ireland, Levey is relishing the challenge.

“He’s in good form, he’s an improving horse and we’re looking forward it,” the rider said on Friday.

“There’s no doubt it’s a big ask, but why not have a go? It’s not the biggest field in the world, the owners want to take their opportunity and go for the Irish Derby and experience the occasion – and they’ve got a horse that’s pretty much unexposed to go there with.

“He’s a lightly-raced horse and has shown he’s improved with every run. I’ve ridden him at home since his last run and just gauging from that I felt he’s definitely matured mentally and physically.

“It’s always a great thing to have the opportunity to go over there and compete. Fingers crossed he can run a nice race.”

Aidan O’Brien saddles not only Christmas Day and Benvenuto Cellini but also Action and Pierre Bonnard, both of whom finished down the field in the Derby at Epsom.

The Ballydoyle handler’s son Joseph runs Epsom third James J Braddock, while the Owen Burrows-trained Raaheeb is a second challenger from Britain.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Shaihaan completes the octet.