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Piz Badile looking to bounce back from Epsom flop in Irish Derby

Piz Badile didn't act in the Epsom Derby but his connections are hoping for a much better run in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 25.

Piz Badile's owners the Niarchos family aren't too downhearted about his 12th in the Epsom Derby won by Desert Crown and could send the three-year-old to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 25.

Frankie Dettori took the reins on Piz Badile in the Classic at Epsom but never got his Ulysses colt further than mid-division as Donnacha O'Brien's charge failed to get to grips with the undulating course on the Downs.

The irrepressible Italian Frankie Dettori commented that Piz Badile "never acted on the track" and got home 16 and a half lengths behind Sir Michael Stoute's Desert Crown.

Alan Cooper, racing manager to Piz Badile's owners the Niarchos family insisted various options remain open for the horse which has entries for Leopardstown's Irish Champion Stakes and the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The Irish Derby at the Curragh lookes the most obvious next step, however.
"The horse is in good shape and he will have an easy week this week, and we are mulling over the options," said Cooper.
"Once we have regrouped with Donnacha, we can say what the plan is.
"The Irish Derby is the most obvious objective after Epsom. We are dealing with a top-class horse and we decided to have a bit more time and think about the long-term options."
Cooper suggested that Piz Badile's lack of luck in running contributed to the lowly placing.
He added: "He is a lovely horse and is beautifully balanced. Wiser men than me have said you don't know (if they handle the track) unless you actually try it.
"I noticed watching the replay, there was a rough part of the race and there was a bit of argy-bargy, and that probably didn't help him.
"We can't redraw a race, you have to go forward. So that's what we do - we go forward - and the Irish Derby is a possible, and as soon as Donnacha has evaluated everything, we hope to have a plan by next week."

Piz Badile's sire took both the Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International as a four-year-old, giving hope that Piz Badile will grow into a top level performer.

"He is the sort of horse we would like to keep in training as a four-year-old, as that is what we did with his sire, who improved with age - he won two Group Ones as a four-year-old - so we will take our time and feel our way."

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