On to the Irish Derby

The timing might not work perfectly, but I am hopeful to next check in from across the pond with some highlights of the opening day of the Irish Derby festival at Curragh.

Slightly nicer than ACRC ;)

The NJ Horseplayer clan is packing up for the Emerald Isle, and at least I am very much looking forward to three staples of the culture - Guinness, golf and horse racing.

If anyone has been and can offer sage advice about the Irish circuit (with more of a value add than "watch for Aidan O'Brien's entries"), please drop some comments below.

Otherwise, I at least recognized one horse - Viscount Nelson, unimpressive in the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont on June 11 - who is listed for Friday's card in the Grade 3 International Stakes.  The fields, too, appear a lot deeper than what I'm used to in the U.S., though any potential visit will lean toward a social experience.

In the meantime, if the travel schedule works according to plan, I should be back in time to enter the handicapping contest at Monmouth on July 2.  (Speaking of which, it appears that Monmouth has cancelled, unfortunately, the contest scheduled for August 28.)