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20 Remain in 2009 Derby21st May 2009
A fascinating renewal of the Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday June 6th, is in prospect with 20 colts remaining in the premier Classic following today’s scratchings deadline.
Aidan O’Brien, seeking a third Derby success following the victories of Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002), has dominated the trials and has nine contenders remaining in the Classic.
The Ballydoyle nine are Lingfield Derby Trial victor Age Of Aquarius, Dante Stakes first and second Black Bear Island and Freemantle, the unbeaten Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes winner and current Investec Derby favourite Fame And Glory, the first two horses home in the Chester Vase Golden Sword and Masterofthehorse, recent Naas maiden winner Johann Zoffany, betfred.com Classic Trial third Malibu Bay and Rip Van Winkle, who was a staying-on fourth in the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas.
The master of Ballydolyle said earlier today: "The horses ran well in their trials. The colts that ran early on in the season improved from their first appearance to their second, while the ones that didn’t win their trials also ran well. Hopefully, we will see what happens over the next week or 10 days before finalising any plans.
"I think that everyone is saying that Fame And Glory was the most impressive in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. Obviously, we see the same as everybody else and all the horses went through their trials and we were happy with their races.
"We were very happy with Rip Van Winkle’s run in the 2000 Guineas. He had a very interrupted preparation for that race and ran a really good race there. It’s been so far so good with him since. He pulled off a shoe a little bit back and was a little bit tender for a few days but, other than that, everything has been fine with him.
"He’s a very balanced horse with a lot of natural speed. He has a great stride on him and is a very determined horse so you wouldn’t think that he would have any problem with Epsom.
"We liked Black Bear Island a lot last year and Johnny was very happy with his first run of the season in France - it was a very slowly run race and he had to wait for the gap. He flew once the gap came and we thought that he would come forward for that run, and he did.
"Freemantle was very impressive in a maiden last year, when Sean Levey rode him. Johnny wanted to ride him in the Dante Stakes because, if he was going for the Investec Derby, then the York race would have been his only start before Epsom. He ran a great race in the Dante Stakes and he is another horse who should come forward from the run.
"Fame And Glory had two starts last year and another two this year. They were well spaced out and Black Bear Island had a similar programme. They have both run in competitive trials on their second starts this season so you would imagine, with everything going well before the Investec Derby, that both colts should be ready for Epsom.
"We were very happy with Age Of Aquarius at Lingfield. He has a little bit of a setback when he strained a stifle and he just about made it to Lingfield so we were really pleased with the run.
"We knew that there wasn’t going to be much pace and Johnny gave him a lovely ride from the front. Even though Age Of Aquarius was very green, he wasn’t doing a whole lot in front, so we were over the moon with his run.
"He came out of the race very well and we have been very happy with him ever since. There could be a big jump forward from him following that run.
"I don’t know at the moment how many runners we will have in the Investec Derby. It will be spoken about a lot and everybody will discuss it but they are all very eligible Epsom horses at the moment.
"The owners will decide amongst themselves but the decision is a little bit away because the colts have to go through their work and everyone’s input will be taken on board.
"When the horses have come through their trial, then it’s very hard to bypass the Investec Derby. It’s the ultimate test of the horse whether they have speed, stamina, balance, courage - everything is put to the test.
"It’s a great position to be in, having horses that have chances of running in the race, and it’s a privilege to have horses that have come through their trials in the way they have."
Sea The Stars, trained by John Oxx, bids to emulate Nashwan, the last horse to win complete the Guineas/Derby double in 1989. The Cape Cross colt comes from a family with a fine tradition in the Epsom Classics. Sea The Stars is out of the brilliant mare Urban Sea, making him a half-brother to the 2001 Derby winner Galileo, as well as the fillies All Too Beautiful and Melikah, who were both placed in the Investec Oaks.
Gan Amhras finished third in the 2000 Guineas and is set to represent last year’s winning trainer Jim Bolger. The trainer’s other remaining entries are Fergus McIver and Toraidhe.
William Haggas saddled South Easter to win the Dee Stakes at Chester on May 8. The colt is jointly-owned by Bernard Kantor, managing director of Derby sponsor Investec and could bid to add to the trainer’s 1996 Derby success with Shaamit, his only previous runner in the premier Classic.
Two other British-trained contenders are Godolphin’s Kite Wood, who finished fifth in the Dante and Crowded House, the winter favourite for the Investec Derby who finished a disappointing eighth in the York contest. Debussy won the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom Downs on April 22 prior to finishing third in the Chester Vase.
The five-day confirmation stage for the Investec Derby is on Monday, June 1, when there is a also a £75,000 supplementary entry stage. The 2009 Investec Derby will have a prize fund of at least £1,250,000.
THE INVESTEC DERBY
Class 1, Group 1, £1,250,000 Total Prize Fund, Epsom Downs, Saturday, June 6, 2009. For three-year-olds only, entire colts & fillies, one mile & four furlongs. Entries closed December 5, 2007, (474 entries). First scratchings deadline noon, March 3, 2009 (138 remained), £8,000 second entry stage noon April 7, 2009, (8 extra entries received), second forfeit stage May 21, 2009, (20 remain), £75,000 supplementary entry and five-day confirmation stage noon, June 1, 2009, final declaration stage 10am, June 4, 2009. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Wednesday, May 20, 2009. May not include some overseas form.
Form Horse Owner Trainer
(1)4-1 AGE OF AQUARIUS (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
21-31 BLACK BEAR ISLAND (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
0(1)21-0 CROWDED HOUSE Paul Reddam, Carmen Burrell, J Harvey Brian Meehan
4-(1)13 DEBUSSY (IRE) H R H Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden
11-11 FAME AND GLORY Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
(1)-33 FATHER TIME Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil
32-1223 FERGUS MCIVER (IRE) Netherfield House Stud Jim Bolger IRE
341-2 FREEMANTLE Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
312-3 GAN AMHRAS (IRE) Jackie Bolger Jim Bolger IRE
3541-41 GOLDEN SWORD Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
34-61 JOHANN ZOFFANY Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
211-5 KITE WOOD (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
35- LOCH LONG (IRE) Thistle Bloodstock Limited Tracey Collins IRE
1-3 MALIBU BAY (USA) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
2130-2 MASTEROFTHEHORSE (IRE) Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
21-2 MONTAFF Barry Walters Catering Mick Channon
110-4 RIP VAN WINKLE (IRE) Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
411-1 SEA THE STARS (IRE) Christopher Tsui John Oxx IRE
21 SOUTH EASTER (IRE) Markus Jooste & Bernard Kantor William Haggas
22-1 TORAIDHE (IRE) Peter Canavan Jim Bolger IRE
20 entries remain after May 21 scratchings deadline
14 Irish-trained
THE FOLLOWING 126 HORSES HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED: ABOVE AVERAGE (IRE), AL MAHRAJAH, ALHAQUE (USA), ALMAIL (USA), ALMIQDAAD, ALWAARY (USA), ANMAR (USA), ARAZAN (IRE), ARD NA GREINE (IRE), ARISTOCRAT, ASATEER (IRE), BAB AL SALAM (USA), BORN TO BE KING (USA), BRAVEHEART MOVE (IRE), BYZANTINE, CALYPSO BAY (IRE), CAPEABILITY (IRE), CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE), CHIEF LONE EAGLE (USA), CHOCK A BLOCK (IRE), CLOWANCE HOUSE, CLUAIN ALAINN (IRE), COUNTRY ROAD (IRE), CROWFOOT (IRE), CRYSTAL CELEBRE (IRE), CYGNET, DARADIYR (FR), DERBAAS (USA), DRUMBEAT (IRE), DUBAI CHALLENGE (USA), EBIAYN (FR), EMIRATES CHAMPION, FAVOURS BRAVE, FORTUNI (IRE), FOUR WINDS, FRANCISCO GOYA (IRE), FREE AGENT, GLASS HARMONIUM (IRE), GRAND DUCAL (IRE), GRAND ADMIRAL (USA), HAASHED (USA), HAIL CAESAR (IRE), HARBINGER, HEADLINE ACT, HIGHLAND FLASH, HORSLEY WARRIOR, HYADES (USA), HYDRANT, HYPNOTIST (UAE), IMPOSING, INDEPENDENCE HALL (USA), INDIAN OCEAN (IRE), INTENSE FOCUS (USA), KIMBERLEY DOWNS (USA), LA DE TWO (IRE), LASSO THE MOON, LIBERATION (IRE), LISZT (IRE), LIVELY FLING (USA), MAFAAZ, MAIMONIDES, MARTIAL LAW (IRE), MASTERCRAFTSMAN (IRE), MAURICE UTRILLO (IRE), MAWAZIN, MAYTIDE (IRE), MIRIFIC (FR), MOURAYAN (IRE), MUNSTER FUSILIER (IRE), MUSTAQER (IRE), MY VISION (USA), NAFAATH (IRE), NATIVE RULER, NEHAAM, NORTH EAST CORNER (USA), NORWEGIAN DANCER (UAE), OASIS KNIGHT (IRE), OUSTER (GER), PADDY PARTRIDGE, PALAVICINI (USA), PEACEFUL RULE (USA), PELIGROSO (FR), PLYMOUTH ROCK (IRE), PONT TOTO, POPMURPHY, RISING STAR, RISING PROSPECT, ROCKHAMPTON (IRE), RULER OF ALL (IRE), SAGARIAN (FR), SAM SHARP (USA), SANS FRONTIERES (IRE), SAPTAPADI (IRE), SEHOY (USA), SET SAIL (IRE), SHAWEEL, SILVADOR, SIR PERCIVAL (USA), SIRGARFIELDSOBERS (IRE), SKANKY BISCUIT, SOLARIS (IRE), STATELY HOME (IRE), SUMBE (USA), SURVIVOR'S SONG, SWINDLER (IRE), SWISS GUARD, TAAMEER, TAARAB, TACTIC, TAVERN SQUARE (USA), THE BOAT SHED (IRE), THEREGOESJOJO (USA), THESPIS OF ICARIA (IRE), TOO MUCH TROUBLE, TROJAN WAR (IRE), TWO TOGETHER (USA), TYNEDALE (FR), UNCLE KEEF (IRE), VICEROY OF INDIA (USA), VITRUVIAN MAN, VOCALISED (USA), VON JAWLENSKY (IRE), WAR (IRE), WESTPHALIA (IRE), YANKEE DOODLE, YU TIGER (IRE)
Black Bear Island defeating stablemate Freemantle in the Dante Stakes at York