The 2026 Irish Derby brings together the Epsom winner, several leading trial performers and a powerful four-runner team from Aidan O’Brien.
Benvenuto Cellini heads the betting after his chance at Epsom ended almost as soon as the stalls opened. Christmas Day brings the strongest form after winning the Derby, with Raaheeb, James J Braddock and Causeway among those hoping to trouble the Ballydoyle pair.
The Curragh’s wide mile and a half should provide a fair test. Good ground may produce a very different race from the testing conditions seen at Epsom three weeks earlier.
Benvenuto Cellini Given Another Chance
Benvenuto Cellini is the 6/4 favourite, with Ryan Moore expected to return to the saddle.
The Frankel colt earned his position at the head of the market with an impressive Chester Vase success in May. He carried a penalty, travelled well and stayed the mile and a half with no sign that the distance would cause him any trouble.
His Epsom Derby run tells us very little. Benvenuto Cellini got a leg caught up in the stalls as the race began and missed the break. The stewards later treated him as a non-runner for betting purposes.
Supporters must now decide whether to ignore Epsom and judge him on the promise of Chester.
The main concern is the strength of the Chester Vase form. He was expected to win that race and now faces a deeper field. At 6/4, his price leaves little room for error.
Christmas Day Brings the Strongest Form
Christmas Day is the only runner in the field who has already won a Classic. The Camelot colt landed the Epsom Derby under Ronan Whelan, racing close to the pace before staying on strongly in testing conditions.
Aidan O’Brien said after Epsom that Christmas Day was capable of better, which makes him hard to ignore at 4/1. His stamina is proven and his pedigree suggests the Curragh should suit him.
The main doubt is the good ground. Christmas Day was outpaced late in the Dante at York, raising the chance that a sounder surface and a stronger early pace may leave him short of speed.
He still brings the best form into the Irish Derby and offers a much bigger price than Benvenuto Cellini. At 4/1, he is the selection to confirm his position among the leading three-year-olds.
Raaheeb and James J Braddock Lead the Opposition
Raaheeb has attracted plenty of interest at odds generally around 11/4. Trained by Owen Burrows, he is a brother to Baaeed and Hukum, two top-class horses who won at Group 1 level.
He made a pleasing return when winning the Group 3 Classic Trial at Sandown. He showed signs of greenness before the race but still did enough to win well.
The form has not received much support since. Action, who had finished second in the Dante, ran below expectations in fourth at Sandown.
Raaheeb is being backed as much for what he might become as for what he has already achieved.
There is a ground concern too, as he returned sore after winning on good going and his team have spoken about faster conditions.
His pedigree and potential give him a serious chance, but at 11/4 is not a generous price for a colt yet to race at this level.
James J Braddock offers a more established form line. Joseph O’Brien’s colt beat Pierre Bonnard by a short head in the Leopardstown Derby Trial before finishing third at Epsom.
He ended the Derby five and a quarter lengths behind Christmas Day, producing a good effort in testing ground on only his fifth start. His trainer felt that performance marked him down as a future runner in major international races.
James J Braddock has looked raw before races, but he has already shown stamina and the ability to handle a demanding test. At 6/1, he makes plenty of sense as an each-way option.
Pierre Bonnard is another runner with claims at 12/1. A Group 1 winner at two, he has a fine middle-distance pedigree as a son of Camelot and a grandson of New Approach.
His season has yet to go to plan. He was beaten in the Ballysax, narrowly lost to James J Braddock at Leopardstown and weakened into seventh at Epsom.
His trainer felt he needed the Epsom run, and a return to his juvenile form would make 14/1 look a big price.
Outsiders and Irish Derby Betting Verdict
Action finished second in the Dante and fourth at Epsom. He has shown enough stamina but needs to find more against the leading contenders.
Bunyola Bay steps up sharply in class after winning his last two races, including a Listed event.
Shaihaan has shown ability at a lower level but faces a very hard task at 66/1.
BETFRED
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Selection: Christmas Day at 4/1.
Each-way option: James J Braddock at 6/1.
Odds are correct at the time of writing and may change. Check the latest prices and each-way terms before placing a bet.
