Keeping big races at the Curragh lacks imagination and may prove costly

It’s rare that any racing issue will vie with the Cheltenham Festival as a point of intrigue or debate weeks ahead of the big event, but we’ve seen a couple give it a good rattle.

Last week it was the furore over the Grand National weights. Given the Aintree spectacle’s global appeal and prestige within the game’s own confines, it is hardly surprising that handicapping inconsistencies polarise opinion the way they did.

Less predictable was the manner in which the Curragh has managed to draw attention upon itself. If the 2017 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby succeeds in generating nearly as much passion in the run-up to the race itself, it will be no mean feat.