A $1 million bonus is on offer for any horse who can add the Irish Derby to either the English, French or Kentucky Derbys in 2000.
Details of the special millennium prize came yesterday at a press conference, where the Irish Derby sponsor Budweiser announced a £12 million extension to their involvement with the Curragh which will take their Derby sponsorship up to at least 2004. The announcement was made by the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy.
The record of Epsom Derby winners in Ireland's premier classic is very good, with the likes of Commander In Chief and Generous successful in the 1990s. Last year, Dream Well added the race to his French Derby success, but the inclusion of the Kentucky Derby in the millennium initiative reflects the current globalisation of racing.
It was revealed yesterday that Godolphin's Prix Salamandre winner, Aljabr, will run in the American classic on May 1st, bypassing the English 2,000 Guineas for which he was once favourite. Aidan O'Brien and Dermot Weld also have made entries for the American classic.
"I am sure it will be only a matter of time before an owner has the money and the courage to attempt the Kentucky Derby and Budweiser Irish Derby double," said the Minister. The 11-time champion jockey Pat Eddery, who has won the Irish Derby four times, on Grundy, El Gran Senor, Law Society and Commander In Chief, also attended yesterday's conference.
Not content with the possibility of running Stravinsky in Sunday's Loughbrown Race at the Curragh, Aidan O'Brien is also considering giving either Coliseum or Saffron Waldon a race in a maiden on the same day.
"One of the two could run in the maiden. I will decide later in the week, as with Stravinsky," said O'Brien yesterday.
The Ballydoyle trainer has also entered three horses for the first two-year-old race of the year, the First Flier Maiden. They are Buffalo Berry, King Of Connaught and Moon God. The latter is a 350,000 gns yearling by Thunder Gulch out of the Nunthorpe and Queen Mary winner, Lyric Fantasy.
The Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, See More Business, was yesterday given a new rating of 170 by British Horseracing Board chase handicapper Phil Smith.
That makes him the joint best chaser in Britain, alongside Teeton Mill.
See More Business beat Go Ballistic by a length last Thursday, with the Willie Mullins-trained favourite, Florida, Pearl, 17 lengths back in third.
Leading Martell Grand National candidate Double Thriller, fourth in chasing's blue riband, remains on 160, with both Florida Pearl (167) and Dorans Pride (166) also staying on their pre-Festival marks.
