Nick Luck’s blog: Aidan’s runners should be Unquestionable

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck is on hand to run through his best bets on Sunday’s Irish Derby Day card from the Curragh.

Sunday, The Curragh

UNQUESTIONABLE is the pick at 11/4 in the Group 2 Railway Stakes (1.50pm). He’s been nothing but impressive in his two starts to date, having run third at the Curragh behind His Majesty and Valiant Force on debut and winning since at the same course. That form has received a huge boost now, with Valiant Force’s incredible 150/1 win of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last week. This will be a harder test, but his four and three-quarter lengths win last time suggests that he is another cut above the rest and he can step up here.

COMMANCHE FALLS, favourite for the Dash (2.25pm) at 13/8, has run three excellent races in defeat this season, beaten narrowly by some truly top-class horses; the likes of Azure Blue and Creative Force. Dropping down in grade for his first trip across the Irish Sea, this ought to be more within his reach. He’ll like the galloping track, far outclasses his – admittedly younger – rivals and, although they would arguably be more open to improvement, Commanche Falls has really come into his own this year and should take a bit of beating.

CAME FROM THE DARK may seem a bit of a left-field selection for the Rockingham (3.00pm), having rather fallen from grace since his peak rating of 108 back in 2021, but his current handicap mark might now present him with the winning opportunity he’s been waiting for. Despite two good runs for third place this year, the gelding hasn’t fared well on sharper, downhill tracks since his reappearance, and so he could well outrun his odds under more suitable conditions at the Curragh. He could present each-way value at around 14/1.

AUGUSTE RODIN, having proved the doubters wrong in the Derby last month, looks to be the only choice for the Irish Derby (3.40pm) at 2/5. We can put that too-bad-to-be-true run in the 2000 Guineas behind him on the back of his foot-perfect performance in the Derby at Epsom, where he proved to stay the distance on a very testing track and on much firmer ground than he is used to. Now living up to the hype, this son of Deep Impact has established himself as the ultimate in versatility and should make short work of his Curragh competitors.