Fields taking shape for Epsom classics

With just over a fortnight to go until the Derby Festival, the fields for the

two English classics, the Derby and the Oaks, plus the Coronation Cup are taking

shape following Tuesday's scratchings deadline.

In the Derby, run on June 7 and Britain's richest race worth £1,325,000, a

total of 28 three-year-olds go forward headed by Australia, the red-hot 4-6

favorite with Coral. The son of 2001 Derby winner Galileo and 2004 Oaks heroine

Ouija Board finished a close third on his seasonal debut in the first classic of

the season, the Two Thousand Guineas over a mile at Newmarket on May 3.

O'Brien, seeking his third consecutive Derby success and fourth in all, has

left six colts in the Epsom Downs classic over a mile and a half. Ballydoyle

could also be represented by Chester Vase scorer Orchestra, Dee Stakes winner

Kingfisher, Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial third Geoffrey Chaucer, Prix Hocquart

runner-up Adelaide and Gypsy King.

John Gosden, successful in 1997 with Benny The Dip, is responsible for

Coral's 10-1 second favorite Western Hymn. The son of High Chaparral is unbeaten

in three starts, having taken the Classic Trial at Sandown on April 25.

Other trial winners who remain engaged include Lingfield Derby Trial victor

Snow Sky, who won well by two lengths at the Surrey venue on May 10.

"Snow Sky has come out of the Lingfield trial very well and does seem in good

form," said Lord Grimthrope, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah. ""Prince

Khalid will make a decision about the Derby when he has had time to have a good

think about it. There are a couple of things to consider, with the King Edward

VII at Ascot a possible alternative.

"We certainly won't discount the Derby lightly and once Prince Khalid has

made a decision, we will let it be known."

Another trial winner who could line up is Fascinating Rock, who was awarded

the race in the stewards' room when he was edged out by Ebanoran in the

Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on May 11.

The second and third from York's Dante Stakes go forward, Arod and True

Story.

William Haggas is the only trainer with a 100 per cent record in the Derby,

having scored with his sole starter Shaamit back in 1996. This year he is set to

be represented by Our Channel, who gained an entry when winning the Derby Trial

at Epsom on April 23.

Kingston Hill was unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, culminating

with victory in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. He stayed on to be eighth

in the Two Thousand Guineas, beaten five lengths, and heads straight to Epsom

after sidestepping the Dante.

Two of the remaining entries hail from France, headed by Karakontie, who is a

dual Group 1 winner having taken last year's Prix Jean Luc Lagadere and the

Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) on his latest outing.

The other French contender is Norse Prize, successful on his first two starts of

2014.

One horse with a Derby to his name already is Toast of New York, who annexed

the U.A.E. version on Tapeta at Meydan on March 29. Connections made the

decision to go straight to Epsom with the Thewayyouare colt after that success.

There is one final chance to be added to the Derby line-up with a £75,000

supplementary entry on June 2, when the five-day confirmation stage also takes

place.

The Group 1, £425,000 Oaks takes place on day one of the Derby Festival, June

6, and the fillies' classic has 24 contenders going forward.

Taghrooda, a daughter of Sea the Stars, jumped to the head of the betting

with a stunning six-length victory over Jordan Princess in the Pretty Polly

Stakes at Newmarket on May 4.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, owner of Taghrooda, has another leading contender

in Tarfasha, who was the impressive winner of the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas on

May 14.

Lightning Thunder and Ihtimal have both shown classic form already this

season, having finished second and third, respectively, in the One Thousand

Guineas at Newmarket on May 4.

It is 21 years since a French-trained filly won the Oaks but there is a

leading contender from the other side of the Channel this year in Shamkala, who

is unbeaten in three starts. She was last seen out when recording a facile

victory in a Group 3 contest at Saint-Cloud on May 14. France could also be

represented by the Mikel Delzangles-trained pair of Lady Dragon and Sinnamary,

who was fifth behind Shamkala at Saint-Cloud.

Madame Chiang is another unbeaten contender and entered the Oaks picture when

taking the Musidora Stakes at York on May 14.

Cambridge, owned by Khalid Abdullah, was considered one of the leading

contenders for the Oaks following an eye-catching debut success at Nottingham in

October. However, the daughter of Rail Link disappointed when seventh on her

seasonal return in the Musidora, beaten 10 1/2 lengths.

"We have found nothing untoward after Cambridge's run at York," Lord

Grimthorpe said. "It was a bit disappointing, there is no question about that,

as we had hoped and expected better.

"Whatever the ground was, she should have run better. I would say the Oaks

would be a tough ask, but we still wanted to give her that option."

Aidan O'Brien still has six fillies in the Oaks including Bracelet, who

disappointed when favorite for the One Thousand Guineas, Blue Wind third

Dazzling, One Thousand Guineas Trial runner-up Palace, Group 1-placed Tapestry

and Wonderfully, who was a close ninth in the French One Thousand Guineas after

encountering trouble in running.

Trainer Ralph Beckett and owner Julian Richmond-Watson took the 2008 Oaks

with Look Here and have another contender this time around in Regardez, who

finished third in the Musidora.

The next acceptance stage for the 12-furlong Oaks is the six-day

confirmations on May 31, when there is also a £30,000 supplementary entry stage.

The 2013 winners of the Derby and Oaks could meet in the Group 1, £360,000

Coronation Cup on Derby Day, for which 14 contenders remain after yesterday's

scratchings deadline.

Last year's Derby hero Ruler of the World  has a tough statistic to

overcome in that the most recent Derby winner to go on and win the Coronation

Cup was the Vincent O'Brien-trained Roberto in 1973.

The 2013 Oaks hero Talent will be bidding to follow in the footsteps of Time

Charter, who took the Oaks in 1982 before landing the Coronation Cup two years

later.

O'Brien, who has won the Coronation Cup a record seven times and trained Sir

Nicholas Abbey to win the last three runnings, has also left in Breeders' Cup

Turf winner Magician, while Beckett could also run Secret Gesture, who was

runner-up to her stable companion in the 2013 Oaks.

A cracking contest looks guaranteed with another possible starter being the

globetrotting Cirrus des Aigles. The French eight-year-old is a four-time Group

1 winner and as good as ever this year, having smashed the unbeaten record of

last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve when landing the Prix Ganay

at Longchamp on April 27.

Ace French handler Andre Fabre has won the Coronation Cup six times and this

year could run Flintshire, successful in the Grand Prix de Paris last year.

German handler Peter Schiergen, successful in 2002 with Boreal, is reportedly

targeting the Coronation Cup with Empoli who was last seen out when a staying-on

fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on March 29.

There is a £25,000 supplementary entry stage for the 12-furlong Coronation

Cup at the five-day confirmation stage on June 2.

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