Irish Derby Weekend Selections | Big Impact

Royal Ascot 2025 is in the rearview mirror, but we have Classic action to look forward to with the Irish Derby this weekend.

There is also the Northumberland Plate over at Newcastle, and even York’s card on Saturday is worth a second glance.

So, let’s dive into my fancies for this weekend.

Irish Derby Weekend Selections | Big Impact

1:40 Newcastle – Aramram @ 9/2 with William Hill – 1pt Win

Before I make the case for Aramram, it should be noted that I’m a fairly awful punter when it comes to Newcastle, so do with that information as you wish.

I’m keeping it fairly simple by picking Aramram here. He’s still progressive, and I think it’s notable that Richard Hannon and connections are happy to send him out again just seven days after the Wokingham. They must think there is still unfinished business in handicaps with him.

His run in the Wokingham was pretty respectable he weaved nicely between horses and stayed on right down the far side of the track, and the runoff More Thunder in second gives Aramram a nice form boost from earlier this season.

That’s because the Blue Point colt ran into him twice at Newmarket earlier this season, and More Thunder does look like a Group horse in waiting.

The handicapper has left Aramram alone on 98, which is kind, and he should have no issue with this return to the all-weather having finished second twice on the artificial surface at the start of this year.

One of those efforts saw him chase home the now 107-rated Ferrous at Southwell, with the 107-rated Diligent Harry in third and the 101-rated Purosangue in fourth.

For a horse of this ability, he seems like a safe play.

2:10 Newcastle – Alyanaabi @ 13/2 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW

At the prices, I’m happy to leave Kind Of Blue alone, and just with a stiff six-furlong test at Newcastle, Alyanaabi could be the answer.

This is his first try at six furlongs since June 2023 (when he won at Salisbury), and while that is a small worry, he is clearly a very talented horse.

He’s finished behind Rosallion twice, once in the St James’s Palace and once in the Listed Pay Eddery Stakes, and he was second to City Of Troy in the 2023 Dewhurst over seven furlongs.

Add in his fifth-placed finish in the 2000 Guineas into the equation, and that’s a good book of form.

So, will he handle six furlongs? Well, he looked speedy when winning the Listed Spring Trophy Stakes at the start of this season over seven furlongs, and according to Angus Gold, Jim Crowley has always wanted to try a stiff six furlongs with him.

I can see why. Based on his Haydock win in May, he does have a high cruising speed, and using this to his advantage at Newcastle could see him nick this from the front.

Kind Of Blue will be hard to beat if he’s on song, but at the prices, I don’t want to leave Alyanaabi alone.

4:10 Curragh (Sunday) – Green Impact @ 7/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW

Those of you who follow me on X may have seen the post I put up earlier in the week, and if you did, then you’ll know that I am a fan of Green Impact in the Irish Derby this weekend.

He was 10/1 in one place at the time of posting, but 8/1 was his general price, so the 7/1 still available is more than fair for this interesting contender.

This may come back to bite me at the end of the week, but I’m happy to take on the Epsom Derby form. If anything, I could maybe be tempted by the 14/1 available for Lazy Griff as he shaped well from a prominent position, he wasn’t stopping at the line, and the form of his win in the Group 3 Prix de Conde in September was franked in the French Oaks thanks to Gezora.

However, I’m not overly sold on the Derby yet, and Jessica Harrington’s Wootton Bassett colt has some solid form as a juvenile.

He beat Delacroix twice, once in a maiden and once in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes, and although Delacroix was soundly beaten at Epsom, he did beat Lambourn in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at the start of this season.

Green Impact did well in the 2000 Guineas earlier this season, considering he was a bit unbalanced in the dip, and it was his first run of the season. His performance can therefore be upgraded, and the form has been franked thanks to Field Of Gold.

The Wootton Bassett influence on his sire’s side could really mean anything regarding his ability to stay 1m4f. He has sired horses like King Of Steel and Al Riffa, as well as the more speedier Bucanero Fuerte and Ides Of March.

On the whole, he is a good producer of stayers, and his dam, Emerald Green, placed in a 1m5f contest and is by Galileo. That’s a pedigree which suggests he can stay 1m4f, and considering he won two races over a mile as a juvenile, he should get further.