Gosden discusses Epsom team

John Gosden, who won the Group 1 Derby with Benny the Dip (1997), worked

three horses during Thursday morning's Breakfast with the Stars at Epsom. Last

year's Group 1 St Leger winner Masked Marvel (William Buick) goes for the Group

1 Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup June 2, while Joviality (Robert Havlin) targets

the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes on the Derby Festival's opening day, June

1. There was also a lead horse, partnered by Saleem Golam. Masked Marvel

finished ahead of the lead horse with Joviality in third after none was pushed

hard.

Gosden, who also trains leading Group 1 Oaks chance The Fugue and Derby hope

Thought Worthy, commented on his classic hopefuls.

"The Fugue is a very nice filly," the trainer said of the impressive winner

of the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York. "We had a very dry autumn and winter

then torrential rain in April and May.

"York was the first major meeting to start on good ground. The Fugue was

asked a big question. She ran in the (Group 1 One Thousand) Guineas on ground

that was a little bit specialist and she was struck into (when fourth). She came

out of that well and won nicely at York. You need luck in running at Epsom and I

hope she stays."

Thought Worthy is a full brother to Lucarno, the fourth-placer in the 2007

Derby, who later went on to win the St Leger. Both colts won the Fairway Stakes

at Newmarket before heading to Epsom.

"Thought Worthy is taking the same path as his brother," Gosden said. "This

horse will come to Epsom next week in good order, stay the trip but the Hill

might be a bit of a question mark. He only ran Saturday, so I was not going to

bring him down here today. The Derby is a great race to be part of and

owner/breeder (George Strawbridge) is game for it.

"The Derby is fascinating as you have an exceptional horse in Camelot, while

there is the indefinable and wonderful man Jim Bolger (with Parish Hall) who can

pull rabbits out of any hat.

"Masked Marvel is a lovely horse, and he broke the track record (in the St

Leger) when racing into a headwind at Doncaster, which takes some doing. We ran

him the other day in the knowledge that we needed to get him on the track, to

let some steam off, but he did not like the ground (when seventh in the Group 2

Jockey Club Stakes). He worked well this morning and handled the Hill better

than he did last year."

Buick is due to partner The Fugue in the Oaks, Thought Worthy in the Derby

and Masked Marvel in the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup.

"I am very fortunate to have a good book of rides --it is great," Buick said.

"The Fugue is a lovely filly. She won the Musidora very easily. She has the

quality to go very close.

"She has a realistic chance of winning the Oaks which is very exciting. That

is the good thing about her -- she has a great temperament.

"She was great before the race at York and traveled beautifully in it. She

has done everything right and she strikes me as a filly who will go round Epsom,

though you never really know until the day. I feel she has all the right

attributes.

"Thought Worthy did well to win at Newmarket over his minimum trip (1 1/4

miles). He looked beat but appreciated the rising ground and will definitely

excel over a mile and a half . There is plenty of improvement in him, but

whether he will handle the track I am not sure. He deserves his chance.

"Masked Marvel went well this morning. The ground was too soft for him at

Newmarket. The way he went this morning, you would have to be hopeful at Epsom."

Rugged Cross, a close third to Thought Worthy in the Fairway, was the final

horse to experience the Epsom Downs track Thursday morning. Trained by Henry

Candy, who sent out the second Master Willie in 1980, and ridden by Dane

O'Neill, the Derby outsider cantered.

Andrew Cooper, clerk of the course and director of racing at Epsom Downs,

described how the ground has dried since Tuesday of last week. The aim is to

ensure that the Derby is run on ground no faster than good to firm.

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