Epsom Derby

WAVES GET TASTE OF EPSOM
By William Hayler, PA Sport

Mark Johnston felt the long journey down from North Yorkshire to have been worthwhile after seeing his Vodafone Derby contender Atlantic Waves acquaint himself with Epsom in front of an invited audience on Thursday.

Twelve months ago it was the John Hammond-trained Walk In The Park who exercised at the track's 'Breakfast With The Stars' morning before coming second in the big race to Motivator, who had himself worked at the track during their first meeting of the season in April.

And after seeing Joe Fanning bring Atlantic Waves home in front of galloping companion Boquilobo, Johnston expressed himself satisfied with the preparation of the colt - not seen since winning the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on his seasonal reappearance.

"I am delighted that we brought him here," said the trainer. "It is very, very soft but he's gone fine on it.

"He just tried to jump the first track and looked at the second one but by the time he got past that he was fine. It was a new experience for him and I am glad that we did it."

Johnston, whose best finish in the Derby came when Mister Baileys finished fourth in 1994, said he hoped the colt had enough experience for the Derby on what will be just his fourth start.

"That's the big gamble," he smiled.

"I really don't know if he can win. He's not a ridiculous outsider - he is a live contender, but he is an inexperienced live contender and it's not usual for me to be making the jump from Listed race to Group One.

"I'm a great believer in not having plans or tactics in the Derby. Joe knows the horse and will know what to do best on the day but having said that we learned our lessons with Mister Baileys and learned some more with Fight Your Corner and Bandari.

"We know not to go too fast up the hill. You don't want to be off the bridle before the race starts. And we know to save a bit for the finish.

"It'll be in the lap of the gods but we'll find out next Saturday just how good he is."

:)
 
O'BRIEN KEEPING QUIET ON FALLON DECISION
By William Hayler, PA Sport

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Aidan O'Brien was giving little away to punters trying to second-guess which of the trainer's four Vodafone Derby runners might be blessed with the services of ace jockey Kieren Fallon on Saturday week.

O'Brien was one of the trainers interviewed at an Epsom press conference to promote the track's famous Classics next weekend.

But although giving a fairly positive bulletin about all four of his possible Derby starters, the question as to which might be the choice of stable jockey Fallon was deftly skirted.

"They all have two or three bits of work left to do before we know where we stand with them," said the Ballydoyle trainer, bidding for his third success in the world's most famous Flat race.

"With Horatio Nelson the plan was always to go to the Derby after the Guineas if everything was well with him.

"We thought he was a little bit behind at Newmarket and that he would improve for that run. We think he has improved but we will have a better idea once he has done his good piece of work over the weekend.

"Septimus handled the ease in the ground well at York and come home very well but he needs to work again before we can be sure how he has come out of the race.

"Dylan Thomas was a horse we always hoped would get a mile and a half and he looked the type to do well from two to three. He did it well in the Derrinstown Stud Trial and Mountain also ran well to finish second.

"They are our four strong possibles at this stage."

Asked which horse would be the number one contender, O'Brien replied: "You really want to wait until a couple of days before the race. Little things can knock them off top form and you want to wait and see which horse is really coming alight at the right time."

O'Brien did, however, confirm that Alexandrova, the widespread favourite for the Vodafone Oaks, would bid to reverse placings with her Musidora Stakes conqueror Short Skirt.

"York was a little bit messy," said the trainer. "She lost her confidence a little bit in the race when she stumbled coming out of the stalls.

"It gave her a bit of a fright and she did well to come there to win the race in the end but when she got there a bit early she got tired.

"We thought before the race that she would improve for it and hopefully she will have come on and she will stay a mile and a half."

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STOUTE LOOKS TO CLASSICS
By William Hayler, PA Sport

Reigning champion trainer Sir Michael Stoute confirmed today that he may have at least two runners in both the Vodafone Oaks and Derby at Epsom next weekend.

Classic plans for the in-form Stoute team has left punters uncertain about placing ante-post bets on any of the stable's possible runners.

But Stoute indicated he could run both Papal Bull and Best Alibi in the Derby and confirmed that Short Skirt and Riyalma would line up in the Oaks, possibly being joined by Scottish Stage.

"At this stage we are going to run the Musidora winner Short Skirt with Michael Kinane on and we are going to run the Pretty Polly winner Riyalma with Christophe Soumillon on her," he said.

"With Scottish Stage, we are going to make a late decision - she is also in the Diane (French Oaks) which would give us another nine days.

"Even if I was really happy with her - and she has just taken a little time to come to herself, it was debatable whether we took her to Newbury or not and we made a late decision on that - I would want the ground good or faster for her.

"I think she has come on for her run and in fact she is starting to thrive now but I would have to say that she is doubtful for Epsom at this stage."

Stoute also seemed to suggest that both Best Alibi and Papal Bull could run in the Derby. The last-named colt, winner of the Chester Vase, would have to be supplemented to the race at a cost of £75,000 having been taken out at the previous forfeit stage.

"Best Alibi is a possible but he prefers good or faster ground and if it came up soft then I wouldn't start him," he said.

"As for Papal Bull, I have only spoken to one of the three partners who own the colt and I will have to speak to the other two before the weekend but I would hope that he will go.

"I thought it was a good trial at Chester and he is doing well."

Robert Winston appears to be the rider likely to be charged with doing the steering, having completed a workout aboard the horse in Newmarket yesterday morning.

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Sir Percy - aiming for the Derby.

TREGONING AIMING FOR DERBY WITH PERCY
By William Hayler, PA Sport

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Hopes continue to rise that Sir Percy, who lost his unbeaten record when second in the Stan James 2000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month, will make the line-up for the Vodafone Derby at Epsom on Saturday week.

Having acquitted himself bravely when second to George Washington, Sir Percy returned home somewhat stiff and sorry for himself.

But a key gallop this weekend could convince trainer Marcus Tregoning that his charge is ready to attempt to resume winning ways in the world's most famous Flat race.

"He's in good form but it is a very difficult situation," reported the trainer.

"At first he appeared to be jarred up, then after we had got over the disappointment of him coming out of a race badly for the first time in his career we found that he was quite stiff in his hamstrings.

"With all of the physio he has been getting we have been able to keep him going and he did his first half-pace piece of work on Tuesday and it went very well.

"He is a very clean-winded horse anyway and doesn't need to do a lot of work but it would just be reassuring. At this stage, I think absolutely that he will run in the Derby."

Tregoning added that a final decision as to Sir Percy's participation at Epsom is likely to come in the middle of next week.

"I want him to run because I am sure he is going to win a big race this year - whether it's in the Derby or not I don't know but I'd like to find out," he said.

"He is a very agile horse, absolutely the right size for the Derby I would have said.

"He hasn't raced left-handed but the one time we sent him that way when he worked at Newbury he seemed to go round the turn OK.

"He will get stirred up in the preliminaries. It's his trait, he does that. But so far I don't feel that it has affected his performance.

"The ground is soft enough at the moment but although it will make it more of a test of stamina, I would much rather run him on soft than on firm."

Sir Percy is an 8-1 chance in the ante-post betting for the Vodafone Derby with Totesport.
 
Given how prodigous he seems to be, I could do with him working on my team.

I need to get some analysis out on the correlation between sterling curve steepening trades and long sterling inflation bond trades.

Do you think his area of expertise is confined to the Derby?
 
Dettori's going to be on Linda's Lad, apparantly. Papal Bull will also be supplemented.

Nice for Frankie to be on something guaranteed to stay for once.
 
O'Brien reported on RTE today that Horatio Nelson suffered a set back a couple of weeks ago but they have been delighted with his two pieces of work in the last week or so despite the fact he blew a little hard after his last piece. Works again next week and I got the impression if he pleases Fallon (rides all 4 possibles next week) it will be Horatio Nelson he will be sitting on not Septimus.
 
It's been sunny today and the forecast is for the possibility of light rain tomorrow with dry, breezy and sunny conditions for the reat of the week. If the met men are right, the word soft will not figure in going descriptions on Friday and Saturday.
 
That's this morning, Powerscourt, after all the rain we've had in the last fortnight.. But the North Downs is so chalk based that it drains faster than most sewage systems! I live a couple of miles from the course and I can assure you that if, as the forecast suggests, it's going to be a dry and sunny week then the ground will be perfect - if not veering slightly towards the firmer side of good.

At least it looks as if we won't have to follow the usual debates about watering.
 
Originally posted by Galileo@May 28 2006, 08:59 PM
Only just realised the French Derby is on this weekend as well.
Click to expand...
French Derby looks like an easy option with all the big guns heading to Epsom.
 
Originally posted by Galileo@May 28 2006, 03:19 PM
Works again next week and I got the impression if he pleases Fallon (rides all 4 possibles next week) it will be Horatio Nelson he will be sitting on not Septimus.
Click to expand...
But does Fallon get to choose? If he does i think he`d choose Septimus simply because he`s not sat on HN. In the interview he did with Balding the other day he said HN had the best two year old form but this is a different year, whereas his eyes lit up when discussing Septimus. I hope i`m wrong.
 
Have to agree with Brian about the probable going.

Looking at the 5 day forecast on Ceefax, after some showers tomorrow it's going to be sunny through Thursday. Genuine good ground seems the most likely racing surface, and the top of the hill might just have a touch of the good-to-firm about it. It'll be "no excuses" ground.

From a personal, working point of view, I've had a soaking every bloody day the last fortnight (not working today) and it will be very pleasant to have dry weather to work in from Tuesday onwards.
 
22 left in today. Papal Bull supplemented.

Altius
ArtDeco
Atlantic Waves
Before You Go
Best Alibi
Championship Point
Dragon Dancer
Dylan Thomas
Hala Bek
Horatio Nelson
Lindas Lad
Mountain
Noddies Way
Olympian Odyssey
Septimus
Sienna Storm
Sir Percy
Sixties Icon
Snoqualmie Boy
Visindar
Youmzain
Papal Bull
 
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