Irish Derby bid strengthened

IRELAND’S challenge for a fourth consecutive Vodafone Derby victory has been strengthened with the addition of the unbeaten colts Refuse To Bend and Alamshar to the entries for the premier Classic.

Sinndar, Galileo and High Chaparral have taken the last three runnings of the great race for Ireland.

And Sinndar’s trainer John Oxx and owner Aga Khan are responsible for Alamshar, who won both his starts as a youngster, on the last of which he inflicted a head defeat on Brian Boru, current ante-post favourite for the Derby.