Even Dozen: Capri Gives O'Brien 12th Irish Derby Win

It was a mild upset for the Irish in the July 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) at the Curragh with Capri home first, denying stablemate Wings of Eagles the "Derby double."

Wings of Eagles, a French-bred colt by Pour Moi, returned to Ireland after he won the Investec Derby (G1) at Epsom with expectations he could repeat the performance at the Curragh for trainer Aidan O'Brien and his Coolmore partner owners. With Ryan Moore at the controls, he gave it a late shot but came up short.

Instead it was Capri who tracked yet another of trainer O'Brien's five entrants, The Anvil, through most of the race. As they quickened for home, The Anvil gave way to Capri, and Capri refused to give way to any rival.

Cracksman, third at Epsom for trainer John Gosden, put in a bid in the final 100 meters to earn second, a neck behind the winner. Wings of Eagles also made a stretch run from mid-pack but could do no better than third, a short head back. The well-backed French challenger, Waldgeist, second in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1, French Derby), was not a factor and got home fourth, another 1 1/2 lengths back.

Capri ran 1 1/2 miles on turf listed as yielding in 2:35.45.

Capri, a grey Galileo colt out of the Anabaa mare Dialafara, finished sixth in the Investec Derby after he raced in the middle of the field. Under Seamie Heffernan, who also rode in the Irish classic, he was one-paced to the finish at Epsom.

A winner of three in a row as a 2-year-old, Capri finished fourth and third in two starts before the English classic.

O'Brien won the Irish Derby for the 12th time. Heffernan won for the third time. O'Brien runners, including Galileo in 2001, have turned the English-Irish derby double four times.  

Capri, by virtue of his demonstration of stamina, now is a likely candidate for the William Hill St Leger (G1) in September at 1 3/4 miles.