Paul Mulrennan: my Saturday rides and Irish Derby view

I’m bound for Doncaster on Saturday for four booked rides. Operation Gimcrack (6.55pm) gets the ball rolling. He cost 160,000gns as a yearling and is a half-brother to three winners, most notably the 2022 Hong Kong Derby winner Romantic Warrior. He’s a nice, big horse. Obviously, it is his first day at school, but he has pleased us in his work at home.

Tiora (7.30pm) showed a little bit more improvement when upped in trip on her second start at Leicester. That form line was given a nice boost when Chic Colombine landed the odds in a maiden at Newcastle on Thursday.

Michael Herrington’s Good Earth (8.30pm) carries topweight in the 6f Class 4 Handicap. He was successful on his only previous visit to Doncaster – on the first day of this two-day fixture last year – and arrives in fine fettle after a win at Beverley on his penultimate start.

He’s 5lb higher here, but that is understandable given his fine run at York since (watch above), and because Shalaa Asker gave his Beverley win a boost by scoring in the Sky Bet Sunday Series at Pontefract last week. He’s a good ride to have.

My final ride is New Tycoon (9.00pm) for James Horton in the finale. I don’t know much about this three-year-old but can see that he’s been dropped 3lb since making his handicap debut at Ripon. His Haydock fourth to Salt Bay was a respectable effort, with Arkendale, and Sir Jock Bennett (both recent winners) filling the places.

Many people, myself included, fell into the trap of dismissing Auguste Rodin in the Derby after his bitterly disappointing run in the 2000 Guineas but, of course, Aidan O’Brien and everyone else at Ballydoyle knew differently!

It is true that you should always forgive a horse a single poor run and especially so for one with the level of ability possessed by Auguste Rodin. Aidan is simply a masterful racehorse trainer, and it looks likely that he’ll saddle his 15th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner at The Curragh on Sunday. White Birch (third) and Sprewell (fourth) reoppose, bidding to turn the Epsom form around, but it is difficult to envisage that scenario occurring.

Saturday’s Curragh highlight is the Group One Yulong Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares. I’m keenest on George Boughey’s Via Sistina. She was an impressive winner of the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket, readily disposing of Al Husn, who has since won a Listed race at Ayr and clashes with Nashwa in the Group Three Hoppings Stakes at Newcastle on Friday evening.

I don’t know what was up with old Jackhammer at Carlisle on Thursday. He didn’t want to play ball, breaking lose from the stalls before the Consolation Bell. There were stacks of horseflies down at the start, so I can only think it is possible that he was bitten. He went berserk as soon as he entered the stalls and that was the end of that. Such is life!

I notched a double at Hamilton on Thursday evening, with Ninety Nine displaying an exemplary attitude in the fillies’ maiden. As the first foal from the Group-placed 6f juvenile winner Red Balloons, an extra furlong certainly won’t do her any harm. She’s a nice little filly, and I’m looking forward to linking up again with Richard Fahey (Vintage Clarets) in the Gosforth Park Cup.

Godwinson, a half-brother to the Listed winner Tiber Flow, easily justified favouritism for William Haggas in the 1m1f maiden. He rates as a nice prospect and was a landmark 100th winner for his owners Jon and Julia Aisbitt.

I’m really looking forward to Newmarket’s Boodles July Festival, which is now less than a fortnight away. I’ll be in at Michael’s (Dods) tomorrow and will have a sit on Azure Blue. We’re on countdown mode for the Darley July Cup. Northern Express, who ran a screamer in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot heads next for the bet365 Bunbury Cup.

This week sees the seventh Racing Staff Week, an event which brings together the racing industry and its followers to showcase the passion, skills and dedication of all staff working in the sport. There are a series of social events taking place around the country, including charity races at various racecourses.

On Saturday 8th July, my wife Adele, Tim Williams (ITV Racing), and the former jumps’ jockey Will Kennedy, will be teaming up to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to raise vital funds for Racing Welfare. Yorkshire is the home of the famous three peaks of Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent, and Whernside. The challenge is 25 miles long and covers over 1,500 metres of ascent. If able, please do consider giving generously to this worthy cause.