English Derby entries total 102

Ante-post favorite John F Kennedy (Galileo) heads 102 three-year-olds seeking

glory in the £1.325-million English Derby (Eng-G1) at Epsom Downs on June 6

following Tuesday's scratchings' stage. He's listed at 6-1 with Coral on the

back of an impressive victory in a Group 3 race at Leopardstown in September.

His trainer Aidan O'Brien, responsible for the last three winners of the

premier British Classic and five in total, has 21 entries going forward. They

include Group 2 winners Highland Reel (Galileo) and Ol' Man River (Montjeu), as well as eye-catching maiden scorer Giovanni Canaletto (Galileo) and 3.6 million guineas purchase Sir Isaac Newton (Galileo).

There are 32 Irish-trained acceptors for the 12-furlong Derby, Britain's

richest race. Dermot Weld has Leopardstown maiden winner Zawraq (Shamardal)

among his four entries, while Jim Bolger's four acceptors include Hall Of Fame (Teofilo).

Champion trainer Richard Hannon has seven entries, headlined by Doncaster

scorer Basateen (Teofilo) and Mishghar, an unraced son of Galileo out of Group 3

winner Akdarena. John Gosden's quartet includes Christophermarlowe (Tapit), who

impressed when winning at Sandown Park and Epsom Downs.

Godolphin has 11 contenders, including Group 3 runner-up Future Empire (New

Approach) and the unbeaten Festive Fare (Teofilo), the same number as Hamdan Al

Maktoum, whose entries feature the aforementioned Basateen and Zawraq, plus

Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes runner-up Nafaqa (Sir Percy) and highly-regarded dual

winner Algaith (Dubawi).

Five time-winning Derby trainer Sir Michael Stoute has eight contenders going

forward, headed by winning debutants Consort (Lope de Vega). He is also

responsible for Sandown Park maiden winner Dartmouth (Dubawi), who could bid to

give The Queen a first victory in the Derby. Her Majesty came close with 1953

runner-up Aureole and more recently Carlton House, who was third to Pour Moi in

2011.

Spanish Squeeze (Lope de Vega) was third to Consort in a seven-furlong maiden

at Newmarket in September and stepped up on that performance when taking a mile

maiden decisively at Kempton Park on October 22.

Newmarket trainer Hugo Palmer said: "I am very happy with Spanish Squeeze at

this stage -- he has filled out and wintered really well.

"He had done very little before his debut at Newmarket and ran a lovely race

there to finish third. Then he went to Kempton and, through the Newmarket rumor

mill, we were told the Godolphin horse (Legend's Gate [New Approach]) would not

be beaten, but we ended up beating him pretty comfortably.

"On official ratings, Spanish Squeeze has got a long way to go before Epsom

but I do hold him in the highest possible regard and hopefully he will confirm

that. It is very early to think about where he might start off but he has got a

2000 Guineas entry. We could go down that route because he has got plenty of

speed.

"He has never done anything to suggest that he isn't at least as good as

Aktabantay, Home Of The Brave and New Providence, who were the Group horses from

last year. I have always suspected he might be a bit better than them, but time

will tell."

There are eight French-trained entries, headlined by the Aga Khan-owned pair

of Zarkar and Zourkhan, both Alain de Royer-Dupre. Zarkar is by Galileo out of

the great Zarkava, while Zourkhan is a Shamardal half-brother to the champion

racemare.

Jonathan Pease has confirmed Group 3 runner-up Nucifera (More Than Ready) and

Tale Of Life, a son of Deep Impact who won a mile maiden by seven lengths at

Saint-Cloud in November.

Andre Fabre, who sent out Pour Moi to win the 2011 Derby, trains three for

owner Khalid Abdullah, who has enjoyed success in the Classic with Quest For

Fame (1990), Commander In Chief (1993) and Workforce (2010). They are Harlem

(Champs Elysees), Heredity (Distorted Humor) and Hipparchus (Champs Elysees).

All horses currently engaged were originally entered as yearlings in

December, 2013. There is a second entry stage costing £8,000 on April 7, when

Group 1 winners Elm Park (Phoenix Reach) and Gleneagles (Galileo) are likely to

be added. Another horse prominent in the market at 16-1 with Coral who is not

currently entered is Epicuris. The Rail Link colt was unbeaten in three outings

last season including the Criterium De Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1).

Horses can be supplemented at a cost of £75,000 on June 1.

David Stevens of Coral said: "Aidan O'Brien has sent out the last three

winners of the Investec Derby, and the odds suggest the Ballydoyle maestro has

an excellent chance of making it four in a row at Epsom in June.

"His squad of potential runners headed by the regally bred John F Kennedy,

while the home defense could be led by the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1) winner

Elm Park, with a supplementary entry likely for Andrew Balding's charge."

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