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Telescope ruled out of Derby; Chopin to be supplemented Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Derby hope Telescope will not be ready to take part following a disappointing gallop at Lingfield on Wednesday, Sir Michael Stoute revealed during a telephone interview during Thursday's Breakfast with the Stars at Epsom. "Telescope has eaten up and is sound, but we have detected a bit of soreness on his left fore shin," Stoute said. "I have just had a brief word with Harry (Herbert of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing) and I think this horse will not be going to Epsom for the Derby. "He missed the Dante, had a bit of a hold-up here and there, and things are not going right. I think he is just telling us to back off for a little bit. He definitely won't run." Coral's David Stevens commented on the withdrawal of the 10-1 chance. "Telescope had been well backed for the Epsom classic," Stevens said, "but the vibes weren't good following a recent setback and his racecourse gallop yesterday failed to impress, before the almost inevitable news of his absence was revealed." An international renewal of the Derby is set to feature the premier classic's first German-trained challenger in Chopin, whose trainer Andreas Wohler was at Epsom for Thursday's festivities. The son of Santiago was bought by the al Thani family following his victory at Krefeld in April and is set to be supplemented for the Derby on Monday at a cost of £75,000. "The horse works on Sunday and if he is fine he will be supplemented," Wohler said. "We wouldn't have done it ourselves but it was the new owner's plan when he bought the horse. "Chopin is very relaxed and laidback and I have no worries about the trip -- he needs further than the extended mile he ran over last time. The faster they go the better for him, but I don't have a clue about the other horses in the race. "We've been all around the world for big races but this is something different. This is the Derby of Derbys -- it's the original and this is very exciting for German racing." "After the horse won at Krefeld," Chopin's owner Sheikh Fahad said, "all of our people were impressed. I was impressed and David (Redvers, his racing manager) was impressed. "There are a lot of doubts about other horses staying. I think the horse has a proper chance of finishing in the first four, although it's a different thing to say that he could win. "The Derby is the number one race in the world -- the race you want to have a runner in. A race too that you want to have a runner with a proper chance, which is why we have not been represented until now. Everybody is happy for Chopin to run in the Derby." Jamie Spencer, al Thani's retained rider, will pick up the mount. "Chopin has a good attitude and is relaxed, although all I did with him was to ride him over five furlongs in the wrong direction when I went over to Germany," Spencer said. "The horse he beat by eight lengths last time (Global Bang) was just touched off in the German Guineas on Monday, and if Chopin improves for the step up in trip he has a chance. "I'm looking forward to the race and he's bred to stay. He has won at a mile and that means he has the pace to get a good position and he should travel. Then it's just down to whether he is good enough. You ride the race to suit your horse, you can't try and be in a set position, and you just have to hope they travel down the hill." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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