Guessing the eventual line-up for Saturday’s Derby (Eng-G1) has been the main
sport in
the build-up to the 229th renewal of the Epsom classic, but now the 17 runners
have been
confirmed, the excitement can finally build. Thankfully, the Irish powerhouse
combination of
Moyglare Stud and Dermot Weld agreed to let CASUAL CONQUEST (Hernando
[Fr]) take his
chance after some wavering, and the unbeaten homebred is one of few in the race
with
impeccable credentials. His debut came over seven furlongs of Leopardstown’s
circuit in
September, and when he reappeared there in the May 11 Derrinstown Stud Derby
Trial (Ire-G2), he
showed he had made giant strides with a six-length defeat of WASHINGTON IRVING (Montjeu
[Ire]). He bids to become the third winner of that vital Irish prep to follow up
here since 2000.
“There is only one Epsom Derby, and it’s great to be taking part in it with such
a live shot,”
jockey Pat Smullen said of the horse who will break from the “lucky” 10 stall,
which has been
responsible for five winners since 1989. “The horse is in great form and, if he
jumps and travels
in the first couple of furlongs, we’ll hopefully have no problems. You have to
respect every horse,
as it’s a wide-open race and I’d be very foolish to write off anything.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s colors were carried to glory by Nashwan in
1989
and Erhaab five years later and will grace TAJAAWEED (Dynaformer), one of a
formidable trio
from the Sir Michael Stoute stable successful four times in the Blue Riband. His
one blip came when off the board in the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1) at Doncaster in October, which
is
surprisingly also the case with fellow contenders CURTAIN CALL (Sadler’s
Wells), RIVER PROUD (Proud Citizen), FROZEN FIRE (Montjeu [Ire]) and KING OF
ROME (Montjeu [Ire]).
Like all those, Tajaaweed rebounded this term and
showed a telling
turn of acceleration from a poor position to win the Dee S. (Eng-G3) at Chester May 9,
a trial which
Oath and Kris Kin took en route to victory here in recent times. Jockey
Richard Hills is
hoping he can provide him with a belated first Derby win breaking from the five
hole of
Motivator fame three years ago.
“He’s a tall horse and there were some
doubts as to how
he would handle Chester, but he did it as well as any horse,” he explained. “He
travels well,
which is a big plus at Epsom and, even if he’s not handling the ups and downs
and turns, if
he’s traveling that will give him every chance. He feels like he’ll stay, as he
relaxes and gives
himself every opportunity to, and the thing I really like about him is he is
really progressing
quickly — he’s really on an upward curve.”
Khalid Abdullah is looking for a third Derby success after Quest for Fame (GB)
and
Commander in Chief in 1990 and 1993 and has supplemented the Chester Vase
(Eng-G3) scorer DOCTOR FREMANTLE (Sadler’s Wells). He bids to become the first winner of
that prep to
double up here since the mighty Shergar in 1981, but experience of
Chester’s circuit is
never a negative entering this test.
“He handled Chester very well and, while it
does not
necessarily follow that he will handle Epsom, it is a tight left-handed track
and I think he
should be able to handle the hustle and bustle of the Derby,” the
owner-breeder’s Racing
Manager Teddy Grimthorpe commented. “We know he will stay — he is more than
qualified on
both sides of his pedigree — so we are going there very positive. Although he has
raced mainly
on good or good to firm, he is by Sadler’s Wells and they tend to go well with
cut in the
ground, so he may even be better on that sort of going.”
Stoute’s triumvirate is
brought up by TARTAN BEARER (Spectrum), a full-brother to
Golan (Ire),
who failed to add to his Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) success when only third behind Galileo
(Ire) in
2001. He stepped up off a Leicester maiden win April 26 to beat Frozen Fire by a
head in the Dante S. (Eng-G2) at York last time May 15 and that chief trial has delivered no less
than seven
Derby winners since 1986. The Freemason Lodge pair have drawn 13 and 14
respectively, the
post positions of the 1988 and 1998 heroes Kahyasi and High-Rise (Ire).
There were no surprises Thursday, with connections of Bronze Cannon (Lemon Drop
Kid)
opting to give the gig a miss with Royal Ascot’s likely faster conditions in
mind.
Princess Haya
of Jordan’s NEW APPROACH (Galileo [Ire]) will exit from stall three after
being ponied to
the start in customary fashion. Trainer Jim Bolger announced earlier this week
that last year’s champion juvenile and English and Irish Two Thousand Guineas
(Ire-G1) runner-up would not run
if firm
was in the ground description, and that appeared a possibility Thursday as
Clerk of the
Course and Director of Racing Andrew Cooper brought up the issue of watering.
“The ground
is continuing to dry out, and I have changed the going description to good from
good to soft,”
he explained. “It is lovely ground and we will see how it rides tomorrow. The
forecast is for
mainly dry weather between now and the Vodafone Derby on Saturday afternoon.
Some light
showers could fall overnight Friday into Saturday. The way the ground has dried
this week,
watering for Saturday may have to be considered. I am not anxious to water and
would much
prefer nature to do it for me–a couple of millimeters at any time would
probably suffice.”