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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

Irish TV presenters battle the weather live on air as wind and rain cause havoc at the Curragh

Unfortunately for Gary O'Brien and Donn McClean the weather changed as they went live on air on Sunday afternoon.

The pair were previewing the action, including the Irish Derby, at the Curragh as wind and rain hilariously began to cause them some problems, with the two presenters seeing the funny side.

Luckily, their umbrella just about held up until the end of the segment before they crossed over to Kevin O'Ryan, who managed to position himself away from the wind and rain.

READ MORE: Irish Derby tips and race card - list of runners at the Curragh on Sunday

Aidan O'Brien is aiming to win his 100th European Classic this afternoon, while Ryan Moore is incredibly hoping to win the Irish Derby for the first time, having won many of the biggest races around the world.

He partners odds-on favourite Auguste Rodin for the Ballydoyle trainer, with the Deep Impact colt attempting to become the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to win at Epsom and follow up in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

With runner-up King Of Steel winning the King Edward VII Stakes and Hong Kong-bound Derby sixth Waipiro taking the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot, Auguste Rodin’s form looks rock solid and he is understandably long odds-on to follow up.

“The Derby seems to be working out well, which is nice,” said O’Brien.

“We’re very happy with our horse, everything has gone well since Epsom and the Derby so we are looking forward to seeing him run again.

“It gave everybody a lot of satisfaction, what he did at Epsom, not just me. We always thought he could do something like that, but you can never be sure.

“Obviously the world was always thought of him and we were delighted that he could go and put that Guineas run behind him.”

Auguste Rodin ridden by Ryan Moore (right) on their way to winning the Betfred Derby (Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

Speaking ahead of the race, Moore told Betfair: “His chance is obvious, as his price suggests, but there are few certainties in racing.

“I am sure the connections of the Epsom third and fourth, White Birch and Sprewell, will fancy their chances of at least getting closer to us on this more conventional track. And who is to say they won’t. Different day, different course, different result maybe.

“But everyone saw the real Auguste Rodin in the Derby, stepped up to a trip more in keeping with his superb pedigree, and everyone has seen how strong the form is with King Of Steel and Waipiro coming out and winning at Ascot

“If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him.”

Aidan O'Brien chats with Ryan Moore (Getty Images)

O’Brien is responsible for more than half of the field, with Auguste Rodin joined by Epsom eighth Adelaide River, the 11th home San Antonio, last week’s Queen’s Vase seventh Peking Opera and Covent Garden completing his quintet.

The Ballydoyle handler’s two sons also saddle runners, with Up And Under out to provide Joseph O’Brien with his second Irish Derby as a trainer after striking gold with Latrobe in 2018, while his younger brother Donnacha is represented by Proud And Regal.

The field is completed by the aforementioned third and fourth from Epsom in John Joseph Murphy’s White Birch and the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell.

White Birch finished just over five lengths behind Auguste Rodin at Epsom, while Sprewell has seven lengths to find.

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