JOCKEY William Buick retains the ride on supplemented Libertarian in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.

The colt has been bought by Godolphin and will be having his final start for Elaine Burke this weekend before he joins Saeed bin Suroor in Newmarket.

Unraced as a two-year-old, Libertarian has made giant strides this season, winning a Pontefract maiden in April before disappointing in the San-down Classic Trial.

However, the son of New Approach bounced back to win the Dante at York under Buick, who also rode him to finish second to Ruler Of The World, whom he will meet again this weekend, in the Epsom Derby.

Karl Burke, the North Yorkshire trainer's husband and assistant, said yesterday: "William Buick will ride him again. He did a routine canter this morning and will be supplemented. We are very happy with him and he has come on again."

Burke added: "It's a great privilege and an honour to have a classic runner for such prestigious owners and we're very grateful to Sheikh Mohammed and his team for the opportunity.

"The Curragh will suit him better than Epsom as he's a big, galloping horse. I thought he handled Epsom as well as could be expected. Unfortunately, the pace steadied and he wasn't in a good position to start his run.

"Hopefully, the pace is stronger now. He'll handle any ground bar extremes."

Aidan O'Brien confirmed Ruler Of The World on target, and that he may be joined by Derby also-ran Festive Cheer. O'Brien added last year's Oaks winner Was would be in action at the meeting.

"The plan is to run Was in the Pretty Polly," he said. "Hopefully, one of the Ascot horses will come back for the Railway Stakes."

Jim Bolger will saddle Trading Leather, who ran so well behind Magician in the Irish Guineas.

"He's very well and has just been out for morning exercise," said Bolger. "He will be my only runner in the race."

Pat Prendergast has had this in mind for Sugar Boy since his success at San-down but said the colt could do with some rain.

*Trainer Marco Botti was disappointed yesterday when he had to pull De Rigueur out of Saturday's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle because of injury. Prominent in the betting since a comfortable recent win at Haydock, the five-year-old is likely to be out of action for at least the next couple of months. "He has had a setback," said Botti. "It's upsetting as we've had this race in mind for a long time."