Golden Horn and Success Days supplemented as 15 seek Investec Derby glory at Epsom Downs on Saturday Monday, June 1, 2015.
There are now just five days to go until the 2015 Investec Derby and the countdown for Britain’s richest and greatest race entered its final stages today with the confirmation and supplementary entry stage.
As expected, unbeaten Group Two Dante Stakes scorer Golden Horn(John Gosden, 7/4 favourite with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival) has been supplemented at a cost of ?75,000. The three-year-old son of Cape Cross entered the reckoning for the Investec Derby with a decisive two and three-quarter length victory over stable companion Jack Hobbs (5/1) and Elm Park (Andrew Balding, 8/1) in the extended 10-furlong Dante Stakes at York on May 14.
The Anthony Oppenheimer-owned colt is one of two unbeaten colts in Britain’s premier Classic, run over 12 furlongs, having taking the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April and a Nottingham maiden last year on his two other starts. Frankie Dettori is set to be in the saddle on Saturday. The second supplementary entry is Irish challenger Success Days (Ken Condon IRE, 16/1), who has landed two of Ireland’s leading Derby trials – the Group Three Ballysax Stakes and the Group Three Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, both staged 10 furlongs at Leopardstown. The three-year-old Jeremy colt is a first Investec Derby runner for his trainer, Co Kildare-based Ken Condon.
Zawraq (Dermot Weld IRE, 9/2 second favourite) is the other unbeaten colt in the line-up. Owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, the son of Shamardal landed the Listed 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on April 12, having been successful on his only start of 2014 in a seven-furlong maiden at the same course. There are a total of six Irish-trained contenders going forward for the Investec Derby, now worth ?1,434,000 after the supplementary entries. Aidan O’Brien, who has triumphed in the Investec Derby for the last three years and five times in total, has left in three contenders – Group Three Chester Vase scorer Hans Holbein (12/1), Giovanni Canaletto (16/1), who was runner-up in the Group Three Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh on May 24, and Kilimanjaro (20/1), winner of the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial.
Epicuris (Criquette Head-Maarek FR) is the French-trained contender after completing his preparation with a workout in Chantilly this morning. The three-year-old son of Rail Link was unbeaten in three starts last year, which culminated in a two and a half-length victory in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud in November. He met defeat when going down by four lengths to Silverwave in a Group Three contest at Longchamp in April and refused to enter the stalls ahead of the Group Two Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on May 5. Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah, reported today: “Epicuris is fine. He worked nicely on Les Aigles (at Chantilly) this morning and is all set to come over. “We will be doing our best to get him there in one piece and in a good frame of mind. “We are giving it a shot and we have got to be hopeful.” Hopes for a first German-trained Investec Derby winner rest with Rogue Runner (Andreas Wohler, 50/1). The King’s Best colt won on his seasonal reappearance at Hoppegarten in April before finding the going too testing when fifth in a Group Three contest over 10 furlongs at Frankfurt on May 3. Other interesting contenders include Moheet (Richard Hannon, 33/1), who ran better than his finishing position suggested when eighth after not getting a clear run in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2, and Storm The Stars (William Haggas, 25/1), who chased home Hans Holbein in the Chester Vase before landing the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood on May 22. Completing the potential line-up for the 2015 Investec Derby on Saturday at 4.30pm are Godolphin’s Best Of Times (Saeed bin Suroor, 50/1), second to Storm The Stars at Goodwood, Rocky Rider (Andrew Balding, 100/1) and rank outsider Carbon Dating (Pat Shanahan IRE, 200/1).
The final declaration stage for the 2015 Investec Derby is at 10,00am on Thursday, June 4. **Investec Derby – Coral: Official Betting Partner 7/4 Golden Horn, 9/2 Zawraq, 5/1 Jack Hobbs, 8/1 Elm Park, 12/1 Hans Holbein, 16/1 Giovanni Canaletto, Success Days, 20/1 Epicuris, Kilimanjaro, 25/1 Storm The Stars, 33/1 Moheet, 50/1 Best Of Times, Rogue Runner, 100/1 Rocky Rider, 200/1 Carbon Dating
Coral’s David Stevens said: “After several weeks of ante-post uncertainty, the field for this year’s Investec Derby is beginning to take shape now, with the Dante winner Golden Horn and Frankie Dettori sure to start favourite for the biggest betting race of the Flat season, while Ryan Moore’s eventual choice of mount is sure to be of interest to punters as well.”
Superb septet for Investec Coronation Cup
The other Group One highlight on Investec Derby Day, Saturday, June 6, is the £375,000 Investec Coronation Cup (3.10pm), staged over the same mile and a half course as the Investec Derby. There are seven confirmations for the prestigious contest, which is for four-year-olds and upwards over the derby trip of 12 furlongs and 10 yards. Dolniya (Alain de Royer Dupre FR) is the 11/10 favourite with Coral following an impressive victory over Flintshire (Andre Fabre FR) in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on March. Flintshire is out to reverse the Dubai form with Dolniya and also go better one better at Epsom Downs, having finished second to Cirrus Des Aigles in the 2014 Investec Coronation Cup. Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to Flintshire’s owner Khalid Abdullah, reported today: “Flintshire is also coming over for the Coronation Cup. It looks like he could meet Dolniya again, although I think reversing the form with her will be easier said than done.” Aidan O’Brien has trained more winners of the Investec Coronation Cup than any other trainer in history, with seven successes in total. He has left in four-year-old filly Tapestry (5/1), successful in the Group One Yorkshire Oaks last season. Last year’s Investec Derby third Romsdal (John Gosden, 25/1) also goes forward, along with Turkish Group Two scorer Pether’s Moon (Richard Hannon, 16/1), Sheikhzayedroad (David Simcock, 33/1) and Ayrad (Roger Varian, 50/1).
The richest handicap of the day is the five-furlong £100,000 Investec Corporate Banking ‘Dash’ (3.45pm) staged over the fastest five furlongs in the world. There are 34 contenders for this contest, including last year’s winner Caspian Prince (Tony Carroll, 7/1 joint-favourite). Investec Derby Day at Epsom Downs features a seven-race card, running from 2.00pm to 5.50pm. **Investec Coronation Cup – Coral: Official Betting Partner 11/10 Dolniya, 7/4 Flintshire, 5/1 Tapestry, 16/1 Pether’s Moon, 25/1 Romsdal, 33/1 Sheikhzayedroad, 50/1 Ayrad **Investec Corporate Banking Dash – Coral: Official Betting Partner 7/1 Chiclet, Caspian Prince, 9/1 Steps, 10/ Monumental Man, Monsieur Joe, 12/1 Normal Equilibrium, Seeking Magic, 14/1 Desert Law, Iffranesia, Perfect Muse, 16/1 Confessional, Come On Dave, Duke Of Firenze, Humidor, 20 Bar<< Back to Racing Headlines
