Dragon Dancer questionable for Irish Derby

John Pearce's DRAGON DANCER (Sadler's Wells) may miss Sunday's Irish Derby

(Ire-G1) at The Curragh due to the prevalent quick conditions, connections

announced Monday. Jockey Darryll Holland revealed that the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1)

runner-up could sidestep the classic, for which he would need to be supplemented

for 100,000 at the five-day stage.

"At the moment, the going is quite firm over there and his participation is

ground dependent," Holland said. "The decision will be made tomorrow and is not

going to be taken lightly. If conditions aren't right, he won't run -- he did

come back a little bit sore from Epsom."

The rider added that the bay colt, who has yet to win a race, has thrived

since his Blue Riband run.

"I sat on him the other morning -- he did a nice piece of work on the Watered

Gallop and stretched away from his galloping companion," Holland said. "He gave

me a really nice feel."

Dragon Dancer, with five starts to date, has been second in his last three,

finishing three-parts of a length behind Papal Bull (Montjeu [Ire]) in the

Chester Vase (Eng-G3) before missing by a short head at Epsom.