Huge weekend in European racing

This coming weekend is one of the biggest of the year in European Racing, with major events in Ireland France, Germany and the U.K. Pride of place goes to the Irish Derby on Sunday at the Curragh, which should determine whch really is te brst 3yo in Europe, as 5 of the first 6 from the Epsom Derby will be in action. New Approach won in such good style there, with Tartan Bearer keeping on strongly for second, that it seems more than likely that the finishing order will be the same. CasualConquest (3rd at Epsom), Washington Irving (5th) and Alessandro Volta (6th) will be hoping to finish much closer, and it could be significant that he is the choice of stable jockey Johnny Murtagh from 5 Aidan O´Brien entries. Soldier of Fortune won the race for Aidan O´Brien last year, and he wilöl be star attraction at Sunday´s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. In the Coronation Cup he defeated Youmzain and Getaway, both of whom are out for revenge, while the presence of Zambezi Sun and Doctor Dino in the line-up makes this one of the best races of the year. The top meeting on Saturday in the U.K. is at Newcastle, where the Northumberland Plate, the so-called Pitmen´s Derby, is the main feature, a very valuable 2 mile handicap with 20 runners. Bukit Tinggi, a close 4th in the Ascot Stakes, is the likkely favourite. In germany, te Hamburg Derby meeting gets under way on Saturday, when the main feature is the Jaxx. Pokal over a mile. The second, 4th and 6th from the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen are in opposition against some good older milers headed by Santiago. The big race on Sunday is the Idee Hansa-Preis, now run over 12 furlongs. The winner and third from last year´s German Derby, Adlerflug and Anton Chekhov, renew rivalry, as well as Poseidon Adventure, runner-up here a year ago, and the big unknown quantity It´s Gino, unbeaten in 7 starts, including a similar event at Baden-Baden.