Epsom Derby trials featured this week

The trials season for the Epsom Derby is entering full swing and there should

be clues aplenty this week with informative contests taking place at Chester,

Lingfield and Leopardstown.

A field of nine goes to post in the Group 3 Chester Vase at Chester on

Thursday, with five of those currently holding Derby entries. The 1 1/2-mile

contest was won by Ruler of the World en route to victory in last year's Derby

and his trainer, Aidan O'Brien, has two representatives in the race this year

with Orchestra, who was the comfortable winner of a seven-furlong maiden at

Tipperary last year, and Carlo Bugatti, who was fourth in the Ballysax Stakes on

his seasonal debut at Navan on April 12.

The other Derby entries declared for Thursday's contest are Festival Theatre,

Scotland and Seagull Star.

On Friday, Chester hosts the Dee Stakes. The last winner of this contest to

go on and succeed in the Derby was Kris Kin in 2003. Eight of the 21 entries for

the 1 1/4-mile event currently hold Derby entries.

Aidan O'Brien is also well-represented in this contest with five entries

including Mekong River, who won his first four starts last year before finishing

fourth to Prince Gibraltar, the impressive winner of Saturday's Prix Greffulhe,

in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs in November. Adelaide won his

only start over a mile at Leopardstown last season while Century won a maiden at

the Curragh before running a disappointing race when last behind Kingston Hill

in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Impressive Windsor maiden scorer Arod is also entered in the Dee although

connections have recently stated that he is more likely to contest the Dante

Stakes at York on May 15.

Derby entry Munjaz will step into Pattern company for the first time in the

Lingfield Derby Trial over an extended 11 furlongs at Lingfield on Saturday. The

John Gosden-trained colt, who is a son of 2009 Derby hero Sea the Stars, shaped

with promise in two starts last season, finishing third and second in a pair of

mile maidens at Newmarket. He justified favoritism on his season return in a

10-furlong maiden at the same course on April 16, staying on strongly to score

by a half-length.

Angus Gold, racing manager for Munjaz's owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, said:

"Hopefully Munjaz will run at Lingfield on Saturday -- that is the plan at the

moment. I think everything has been pretty good with him since his win at

Newmarket. I thought he was workmanlike there, but he is still a very

inexperienced, immature horse and I'm sure he is going to improve.

"He is a nice horse. He is a big galloper and we have always known that he

has a certain amount of ability. He will stay well and I think he will improve

as the year goes on. (Jockey) Paul (Hanagan) said he might prefer a flat track,

but if he is going to be any sort of horse, he will have to adapt."

Also among the 18 entries is Somewhat, who was second in a pair of Group 2

contests last season, Arod and Godolphin's Tattersalls Millions Trophy hero

Sudden Wonder.

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has captured the prize three times

in the last decade and has three entries headed by eye-catching Leopardstown

scorer Blue Hussar and Mekong River.

High-Rise, in 1998, was the last horse to win the Lingfield Derby Trial and

go on to victory at Epsom Downs.

On Sunday, the action moves on to Leopardstown for the 10-furlong Derrinstown

Stud Derby Trial over 1 1/4 miles, which has been won by subsequent Derby

winners Sinndar (2000), Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) since the turn

of the century.

Seven of the 13 entries for Sunday's race hold Derby entries including

Altruistic, who could become a first Derby runner as a trainer for Johnny

Murtagh, who partnered Sinndar, High Chaparral and Motivator to victory in the

race as a jockey. The Galileo colt was last seen out when finishing third in the

Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October.

Dermot Weld has entered Fascinating Rock, who was added to the Derby at the

second entry stage before comfortably landing the Ballysax. Aidan O'Brien's five

entries include the unbeaten Geoffrey Chaucer, successful last year in the

Beresford Stakes, plus Mekong River and maiden winners Blue Hussar and Iniesta.

John Oxx, whose three Derby runners have included Sinndar and Sea the Stars,

has entered the Aga Khan-owned Ebanoran, who looked as if he would benefit from

the run when third in the Two Thousand Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on March

30.

Australia cemented his position at the head of the market for the Derby

following his fast-finishing third in the first classic of the season, the Two

Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday. Guineas winner Night of Thunder was

added to the Derby at the second entry stage although connections have not yet

stated if he will be aimed at the Derby.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com