Irish Derby challenge strengthened

Ireland’s challenge for a fourth consecutive Vodafone Derby victory was strengthened today when the unbeaten colts Refuse To Bend and Alamshar were added to the field for the premier Classic.

They were two out of the eight three-year-olds put in the race at Wednesday’s supplementary stage.

Alamshar is trained by John Oxx and owned by the Aga Khan, who teamed up to land the blue riband with Sinndar in 2000.

The son of Key Of Luck 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.

Alamshar is due to reappear in the PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Also expected to return on the same card is National Stakes victor Refuse To Bend, who is entered in the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial.

His trainer Dermot Weld has also added Former Senator, who finished fourth on his debut behind Tomahawk in a Listed event at the Curragh last month, to the Epsom feature.

Godolphin are responsible for three of the extra entries.

They are New South Wales, successful in his two outings last season for Oxx, Lateen Sails, recent winner of a private trial in Dubai, and Bourbonnais, fifth in the UAE Derby at Nad Al Sheba.

Big Bad Bob, successful in last for starts in 2002, has been supplemented by John Dunlop.

And the Arundel trainer’s son, Ed, has entered Cheveley Park Stud’s home-bred Battle Chant, six-length winner of a Pontefract Listed event in October.

There is one final opportunity to add horses to the £1.2m (€1.74m) contest on May 29.