111 remaining in Epsom Derby

The countdown to the Group 1 Derby at Epsom got underway Thursday with the

announcement of the 111 three-year-olds going forward following this week's

scratchings stage. The 234th running of the Derby, the most valuable race staged

in Britain with a prize fund of £1.325 million, takes place at Epsom Downs on

June 1, and a fantastic renewal looks assured.

Those remaining in the race were all entered as yearlings in December of

2011. There is a second £8,000 entry stage on April 9 and a final £75,000

supplementary entry stage on May 27, five days before the great race.

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has his customary strong hand with

35 entries looking to add to the success of the brilliant Camelot in 2012.

Kingsbarns, like Camelot the winner of the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at

Doncaster as a two-year-old, is among the powerful O'Brien entry and is

currently 4-1 favorite with bookmaker Coral.

The highly-touted Mars, runaway winner of a Dundalk maiden on his only start

in July, is another O'Brien entry (priced at 10-1), along with Group 1 Phoenix

Stakes scorer Pedro the Great, Group 2 Beresford Stakes winner Battle of

Marengo and The United States, successful in a Curragh maiden on his only

outing.

While O'Brien has won the Derby three times (he was also successful with

Galileo -- sire of Kingsbarns -- in 2001 and High Chaparral in 2002), three-time

champion British Flat trainer Richard Hannon has not yet made a big impact in

the Epsom classic during a career spanning more than 40 years.

But Hannon is hoping that the unbeaten Toronado, winner of three races last

year culminating in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September, may

be able to put that record straight on June 1.

"We will be looking at the Derby for Toronado after he has run in one of the

Guineas, but we have not decided which one he will go for at the moment," said

Richard Hannon Jr., assistant to his father.

"He is in great form and he has done very well over the winter so we are very

pleased with him. We always thought he would make a lovely three-year-old.

"We have always liked him from the time he went and won his maiden at Newbury

and he continued to improve all year. In a couple of races last year, they did

not go very fast early and he probably did not look as good as he could have

done.

"It's exciting for the team as we have not had many Derby runners and we are

looking forward to it."

Hannon Sr. has had nine runners in the Derby, the first of them in 1973, and

his best placing so far has been sixth with Gran Alba in 1989. Toronado is

priced at 14-1 by Coral to improve on that record.

Sir Alex Ferguson is part of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Wavertree

syndicate that owns 12-1 chance Telescope, who was saddled by Sir Michael Stoute

to win a Newmarket maiden impressively in September, while the Manchester United

manager  is also one of the owners of The Welsh Wizard, trained by Charlie

Hills, who finished runner-up in a Wolverhampton maiden last week on his only

start.

Newmarket trainer Sir Henry Cecil, successful in the Derby four times, has

three entries, including Lingfield maiden winner Mighty Yar.

There are 16 split between Godolphin's two trainers, Mahmood al Zarooni (11)

and Saeed bin Suroor (5), including Chesham Stakes winner and Champagne Stakes

third Tha'ir with the latter.

The Wildenstein family have recently returned to ownership in Britain, and

their Derby entries include Parker Ridge, a half-brother to Peintre Celebre,

among an unraced trio based with Newmarket-based Luca Cumani, who has twice sent

out winner of the Epsom Downs classic.

There are 12 French-trained entries (compared to six at this stage 12 months

ago) and many have still to show their full potential.

The Aga Khan's Baradari, trained in Pau by Jean-Claude Rouget, scored at

Toulouse in February.

Andre Fabre, successful with Pour Moi in the 2011 Derby, trains Ocovango, who

won a Saint-Cloud maiden on his debut in November.

Adding to the international theme, there are two entries from Germany, the

Andreas Wohler-trained Saint and Sinner and Superplex, based at Michael Figge's

Munich stable.

Eye-catching Irish-based entries away from the O'Brien contingent include the

Jim Bolger-trained Trading Leather, winner of the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at

Newmarket in October.

"Camelot continued a run of outstanding recent winners of the Investec Derby

last year," said Andrew Cooper, head of racing and clerk of the course at Epsom

Downs Racecourse, "and the 2013 renewal is already promising to produce a field

worthy of the richest race run in Britain.

"Proven Group performers remain engaged along with any number of less-exposed

well-bred three-year-olds, and we look forward to the Investec Derby picture

clarifying over the coming weeks as the countdown to June 1 continues."

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