Two dozen remain in Derby; fourteen in Oaks

The unbeaten Dawn Approach features in 24 colts going forward in the 2013

Epsom Derby scheduled for June 1.

Dawn Approach has already annexed the first classic of the season, the Two

Thousand Guineas at Newmarket, and will be attempting to become the 38th horse

to win both classics.

A son of the 2008 Derby hero New Approach, Dawn Approach is the even-money

favorite with Coral. His trainer Jim Bolger could also be represented by Trading

Leather, who was runner-up in Thursday's Dante Stakes at York. Bolger's third

leading three-year-old, Loch Garman, is set to contest the Irish Derby.

Speaking at York yesterday, the Irish handler said: "I am thrilled with my

three top horses, Dawn Approach, Trading Leather and Loch Garman. We know the

one that is better (Dawn Approach) -- he is well. It is a toss-up between the

other two.

"I think the only trials that matter were run in Coolcullen (on his stable's

gallops). I'm ecstatic with them. With due respect for the winners of the

Leopardstown trial and the trial here (York), we would be expecting to show

serious improvement from a fitness point of view (Loch Garman and Trading

Leather respectively)."

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien, seeking his fourth Derby victory

following Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002) and Camelot (2012), has been in

red-hot form during the trials season and has seven contenders remaining.

These include Ruler of the World and Magician, who were successful in the

Chester Vase and Dee Stakes, respectively, at Chester last week, as well as

Lingfield Derby Trial scorer Nevis and Battle of Marengo, who landed the

Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown. O'Brien could also be represented

by Mars, a staying-on sixth behind Dawn Approach at Newmarket, Festive Cheer and

Flying the Flag.

Further Irish interest could be provided by First Cornerstone, Galileo Rock

and Zand.

Andre Fabre was responsible for the last French-trained winner of the Derby,

Pour Moi in 2011, and is set to be represented this year by Ocovango. The Monsun

colt is unbeaten in three starts at Saint-Cloud and was last seen out when

taking the Prix Greffulhe on May 4, the same trial Pour Moi landed before his

Epsom Downs victory. Ocovango could renew rivalry with the Jonathan

Pease-trained Bravodino, who was half-length back in second in the Prix

Greffulhe, while fellow French trainer Freddie Head also has two contenders

going forward, Eternal Ray and Qahir.

Further interest from the continent is provided by German contender Superplex,

fourth behind Ocovango in the Prix Greffhule.

The last Northern-trained winner of the Derby was Dante in 1945, but there is

a live contender from Yorkshire this year in the Elaine Burke-trained

Libertarian, a shock 33-1 winner of the Dante Stakes.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Telescope, who was well-supported in the

ante-post market but was forced to miss the Dante due to a late setback, remains

engaged and could head straight to Epsom Downs following a racecourse gallop.

Mirsaale is the one horse in the field with proven form at Epsom Downs,

having taken the Derby Trial on April 24, and he is set to be a first runner in

the Derby for Newmarket-based trainer James Tate.

Completing the potential line-up are Jammy Guest, who lines up in the Fairway

Stakes at Newmarket Saturday, Gold Medal, Ocean Applause and Tinghir.

The 2013 Derby will have a prize fund of at least £1.325 million. There is

one final chance for connections to add a horse to the field at the £75,000

supplementary entry stage on May 27. Exciting German challenger Chopin, a 10-1

chance with Coral, is expected to be supplemented.

Secret Gesture and Liber Nauticus, who both scored eye-catching victories in

their respective trials, head the 14 fillies remaining in the Epsom Oaks. The 1

1/2-mile fillies' classic takes place on May 31 with a record prize fund of

£400,000.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, successful in the 2008 Oaks with Look Here, Secret

Gesture could not have been more impressive as she sauntered to a 10-length

victory over Miss You Too in the Oaks Trial at Lingfield on May 11. She is the

11-4 joint favorite with Coral. Beckett has also left in Talent, who was

victorious last time out in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 5.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Liber Nauticus captured the Musidora Stakes at

York on Wednesday on only her second racecourse appearance and looks open to any

amount of improvement.

Aidan O'Brien, who captured a fourth Oaks with Was in 2012, has a trio of

fillies going forward headed by One Thousand Guineas third Moth (the other joint

favorite with Coral), who could be joined by Snow Queen, a staying-on fifth at

Newmarket and Cork maiden winner Say.

The other Irish-trained entry going forward is Dubaya while French hopes are

pinned on Planete Bleue, who carries the famous silks of the Wildenstein family.

Newmarket handler Michael Bell took the 2009 Oaks with Sariska and has two

remaining entries in 2013 -- Madame Defarge, third behind Talent at Newmarket,

and The Lark, who is out of a half-sister to Sariska and was third in the

Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury Friday.

Also among Friday's acceptors are Cheshire Oaks runner-up Gertrude Versed,

Masarah and Roz, who was runner-up in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket last

season.

There is a £30,000 supplementary entry stage for the Oaks on May 25, when

Cheshire Oaks winner Banoffee is expected to be added to the field.

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