|
|
Camelot heads 143 early entries for Epsom Derby Last season's Group 1 Racing Post Trophy winner Camelot heads the 143 three-year-olds going forward for this year's Group Epsom Derby following the first scratchings deadline, details of which were revealed Thursday. This year's renewal of Britain's premier classic, which carries total prize money of at least £1.25 million, takes place on June 2 and marks the first official event of Her Majesty The Queen's long weekend of Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Camelot has been the favorite for Epsom Downs since sauntering to a comprehensive success in the Doncaster contest in October and the Montjeu colt is one of 28 entries owned by the Coolmore partners, who celebrated a third Derby success in 2011 with the Andre Fabre-trained Pour Moi. Aidan O'Brien, responsible for Coolmore's previous two Derby winners -- Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) -- has 25 contenders, headed by Camelot. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor Wrote and Group 2 Beresford Stakes scorer David Livingston plus impressive maiden winners Imperial Monarch and Apollo feature among the Ballydoyle maestro's contenders. Fellow Irish handler John Oxx has also twice been successful in the Derby and a quintet of colts going forward for the Kildare trainer is headed by Born To Sea. The Invincible Spirit colt, runner-up in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown in his final juvenile start, was the final foal of the outstanding broodmare Urban Sea, who has already produced a pair of Derby winners in Galileo and Sea the Stars, successful for Oxx in 2009. Marcus Tregoning, another Derby-winning trainer, is hoping Cavaleiro can go to the top following a progressive juvenile campaign which culminated with victory in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes in September. The Newbury contest has yielded numerous clues for the Derby over the years, with Henbit and Shergar having won both races, while Shahrastani and Authorized were both placed in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes en route to winning the Epsom classic. Victory for Cavaleiro in this year's Derby would be particularly fitting for Tregoning, as the colt is from the first crop of his 2006 Derby victor Sir Percy. "We have obviously got quite a way to go with Cavaleiro before the Investec Derby but we will run him in a trial and take it from there," Tregoning said. "He's had plenty of experience as a two-year-old and won his latest two starts, which was good. He's going to have to step up considerably on his next start and we are thinking about either the Lingfield Derby Trial, Chester or Sandown. "I also haven't ruled out the possibility of running him in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, which might suit him. Physically, he has done very well over the winter and we are very pleased with him on that score. He's quite a laid-back horse, who keeps finding a bit, so we are hopeful that he can continue to progress. "It's very exciting for Sir Percy. He did very well last year and the quality of the mares that he is receiving is getting better. It's early days for him as a stallion but we have been very pleased for him. We were very lucky to have him and he was a wonderful flag-bearer -- hopefully his progeny can continue that success." Other entries going forward include last year's Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes winner Parish Hall, whose trainer Jim Bolger saddled New Approach to capture the 2008 Derby. Top Offer, an eye-catching winner of a Newbury maiden on his only start in August, could represent the same owner/trainer combination of Khalid Abdulla and Roger Charlton that struck in the 1990 Derby with Quest For Fame. The Sir Henry Cecil-trained pair of Noble Mission, a full brother to last season's brilliant champion Frankel, and Nottingham maiden scorer Wrotham Heath also feature among a septet of entries representing Abdulla, who is aiming for a fourth Derby success following Quest For Fame, Commander in Chief (1993) and Workforce (2010). A total of 26 entries from Godolphin include the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained pair of Mighty Ambition and Encke, while Alain de Royer Dupre is responsible for all six French-trained entries including Kalik, who hails from the family of 1988 Derby winner Kahyasi, plus Mandour and Shamsikhan, who are both out of Group 1-winning mares. Those going forward in the Derby on Tuesday's confirmation stage were all entered as yearlings and there is an £8,000 second entry stage on April 3 with a final chance to be added to the field at a cost of £75,000 five days before the classic on May 28. The Coronation Cup, the historic Group 1 race for older horses over the Derby course and distance, has been renamed this year as the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup and moved from the first day of the Derby Festival, Ladies Day (June 1), to Derby Day, June 2. Katherine Jenkins, the multi-platinum selling mezzo-soprano, will perform the national anthem to Her Majesty The Queen on Derby Day accompanied by the Royal Marines Band. Grandstand tickets for the Derby Festival start from £45 if purchased prior to May 1. For further information and to book tickets, please visit epsomdowns.co.uk.
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
