Irish Derby Preview

Another Approach? - Libertarian can become the latest New Approach offspring to land a classic

With Royal Ascot only a few days removed it’s great to have classic action again this weekend with the Irish Derby taking place at the Curragh.

Won last year in a mud bath by Camelot, Ballydoyle will be hoping to follow up in the 2013 renewal without it taking as much out of their Epsom hero as it seemed to twelve months ago.

The ground should be nowhere near as horrendous as it was last year and hopefully a few more than the five that went to post twelve months ago will line-up here.

Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore operation have won the race every year since 2006 and they would have to be hopeful that Epsom victor Ruler Of The World will add to that impressive record for them in 2013.

The unbeaten colt became the first horse since Shergar to follow up victory in the Chester Vase with victory in the Epsom classic and the son of Galileo currently heads up the betting looking to make it four wins out of four.

Unraced at two, Ruler Of The World has improved with every outing in 2013 and it’s hard to know still just how good he can be. However given how close the first five all finished to each other at Epsom, it is difficult to make a case on the form book for him being as short in the market as he is at present.

Obviously the Ballydoyle stranglehold on the race is also factored in to that price, but at just under three times the price Epsom second Libertarian looks a better bet from a value perspective.

Royal Ascot Preview - What Culture

I'm previewing all the big Royal Ascot races for 2013 over at What Culture.

You can find my individual race previews and selections in the sport section of the site under the Horse Racing banner or by clicking here or following the link below.

The site are also offering some great sign-up bonuses for new customers who click through and open accounts with Paddy Power and Bet365.

You can still read my Talking Horses Royal Ascot day one preview here but the rest of the week's Royal Ascot races will be exclusively over at What Culture.

Royal Ascot 2013 Previews - What Culture

Royal Ascot 2013 Preview - Day One

Royal Kingdom - American superstar can add a Royal win to his tally at Ascot

The flat racing season season’s premier festival takes place next week as thousands will descend upon Ascot for the glitz and glamour of the Royal meeting.

Last year’s Royal Ascot will be hard to live up to thanks to the exploits of Frankel and Black Caviar but Royal Ascot 2013 looks to have a great chance of proving equally as thrilling and exciting as twelve months ago.

Day one of the meeting is by far the best day in terms of the actual racing, with a staggering three consecutive Group 1 races to kick off the first day of the five day extravaganza followed by the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for two-year-olds.

With a dearth of top class racing, Tuesday definitely gets Royal Ascot off to a flying start, and here is a run down of the four Group races that will launch Royal Ascot 2013.