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Noble's Promise among eight added to Epsom Derby Kentucky Derby (G1) contender NOBLE'S PROMISE (Cuvee) has been supplemented to the June 5 Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) at Tuesday's second entry stage, it was revealed Thursday. The Ken McPeek trainee, who is scheduled to run in Saturday's Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, is one of eight added to the Blue Riband at a cost of £8,000 apiece. "I walked the course at Epsom when Hard Buck (Brz) came over to England in 2004, and I think that this horse will like the course," McPeek commented. "There is a slight question of whether he will get the mile and a half, but I know that he will handle the sharp turns, and he won his maiden on turf. If he were to skip the Preakness ([G1] on May 15), then I would be more inclined to run him at Epsom." Khalid Abdullah's WORKFORCE (King's Best) and BULLET TRAIN (Sadler's Wells) were also notable additions, and the owner/breeder's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe gave the lowdown on the impressive maiden winners. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Workforce registered a six-length defeat of the subsequent Tattersalls Timeform Million hero Oasis Dancer (Oasis Dream [GB]) over seven furlongs at Goodwood in September. "He has plenty of stamina on his dam's side," Grimthorpe said, "but if you look at King's Best, he was a miler, and he tends to produce similar types. He will hopefully progress towards the Investec Derby, and the Two Thousand Guineas ([Eng-G1] at Newmarket May 1) is a possibility at the moment. He would probably go straight to Newmarket if he were to take his chance there." Bullet Train, under the care of Henry Cecil, gained a sole success in a mile maiden at Yarmouth in October. "Bullet Train is the other side of the coin compared to Workforce in terms of breeding -- he is by Sadler's Wells out of a fast mare," Grimthorpe noted. "There is a lot of stamina in his family, and he is a three-parts brother to Powerscourt (GB). He won his maiden nicely at Yarmouth, when he ran green, but we are hopeful that he is a progressive type of horse. He has done very well over the winter, and Henry is pleased with his progress so far." The other colts supplemented are Godolphin's trio of Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) hero PASSION FOR GOLD (Medaglia d'Oro), Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1) third AL ZIR (Medaglia d'Oro) and unbeaten Prix de Conde (Fr-G3) winner ZEITOPER (Singspiel [Ire]); the Richard Hannon-trained KALYPSO KING (Giant's Causeway); and RASHAAD (Smart Strike), a debut maiden winner for Barry Hills last October.
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