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Epsom Derby favourite blow31st May 2010
St Nicholas Abbey, the 2009 European champion two-year-old male and a leading contender for Saturday’s Investec Epsom Derby, was ruled out of the 1 1/2-mile classic on Tuesday because of a minor injury.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien said the Montjeu colt missed a planned workout Tuesday because of stiffness, and he was diagnosed with a “slight muscle injury.”
“St Nicholas Abbey was due to work first thing this morning, however when he came out of his box we noticed he was stiff behind. He had looked slightly stiff yesterday evening,” O’Brien said on Coolmore’s website. “His work on Friday last was a little lackluster for him, and that was the first time we had seen anything different but he was fine afterwards.
O’Brien said Ballydoyle staff veterinarians recommended several days of rest for St Nicholas Abbey, who won all three of his starts at two before finishing sixth in the Stanjames.com Two Thouand Guineas in his three-year-old debut.
“Obviously, this will preclude him from running in the Investec Derby on Saturday,” O’Brien said. “We always thought St Nicholas Abbey could walk on water, and it is very unfortunate for all concerned to have a setback like this so close to the big race.”
Bookmakers scrambled to adjust the odds for the rest of the field, including shortening the price on O’Brien’s Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes winner Jan Vermeer, who is as low as 13-to-8 and as high as 2-to-1.
O’Brien also told Racing Post that Dante Stakes winner Cape Blanco could be rerouted to the Prix de Jockey Club (French Derby) on Sunday at Chantilly. That would leave Ballydoyle with a trio for the Epsom Derby: Jan Vermeer, Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Midas Touch, and Group 2-placed winner At First Sight.
Reacting to the defection of St Nicholas Abbey, bookmakers also cut the odds on Khalid Abdullah’s strong pair of Derby Trial winner Bullet Train and Dante Stakes runner-up Workforce.
Godolphin added to the Tuesday shakeup by announcing its riding assignments. As expected, stable jockey Frankie Detori will ride Bluesquare.com Cocked Hat Stakes winner Rewilding, but Godolphin added three-time Derby winner Kieren Fallon to pilot Group 1-placed winner Al Zir.
"Kieren Fallon’s record in the Derby is excellent. He was available and has ridden for Godolphin before," said Simon Crisford, Godolphin’s racing manager.
Ahmed Ajtebi has the call on group stakes winner Buzzword, fourth in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) on May 16 at Longchamp.
Bookmaker Ladbrokes trimmed Al Zir later from 33-to-1 to 25-to-1 and also cut Rewilding from 12-to-1 to 8-to-1 for the Derby.
"As punters got used to the new-look Derby market it was the Godolphin pair of Rewilding and Al Zir who came in for the most telling support,” David Williams of Ladbrokes told Racing Post. “The booking of Fallon for Al Zir suggests that his price is only going to contract hereon in."
St Nicholas Abbey was given an outstanding rating for a juvenile racehorse after his victory in the Racing Post Trophy