The Derby & Irish Derby 2009

I think the O'Brien horses are coming forward...

Aidan O'Brien admits the next few days will be crucial to finalising his plans for the Epsom Derby on Saturday week.
The master of Ballydoyle currently has nine of the 20 horses still in the race as he seeks to win the race for a third time.
Stable jockey Johnny Murtagh has yet to decide on his mount after O'Brien's horses dominated most of the trials in recent weeks.
"I suppose everything we have left in are possibles. They all came through their trials well and deserve to have their chance," he said.
"If the ground is safe, we'd love to have plenty of runners.
"Obviously the Derby is a very important race and we are very lucky to have such a nice few horses this year.
"Johnny will ride them in their next couple of pieces of work and try to make up his own mind there.
"Everybody knows he has a soft spot for Rip Van Winkle, Fame and Glory won well at Leopardstown, Age Of Aquarius won at Lingfield and should come forward, the two who ran at York (Black Bear Island and Freemantle) should come forward and the two at Chester (Golden Sword and Masterofthehorse) should come forward. The next few days will tell us a lot more."
 
Would absolutely love to know the actual amount of money these bookies have taken on RVW. He is the one been eased back out today with F&G shortening up again.
 
Galileo said:
Would absolutely love to know the actual amount of money these bookies have taken on RVW. He is the one been eased back out today with F&G shortening up again.
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…in similar words to Pete Seeger

Where have all the Rip ante-post vouchers gone?
Gone to recycling every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
 
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From The Telegraph:

Two years ago, it might be worth remembering, he saddled eight runners, the best of which was the runner-up Eagle Mountain, who trailed in a respectful distance behind the Frankie Dettori ridden Authorized. Throwing that many darts at the boards, as Martin Pipe often found out in the Grand National, does not always result in a bullseye. It would be a brave man, however, to say that such a collection of horses with evidently so little between them suggests there is not a world beater among them.
Yesterday at Epsom’s Breakfast with the Stars, Clare Balding did her croaky best after two throat operations, to elicit from the great man which of the Ballydoyle nine was, in his opinion, the best.

The trainer’s fence sitting on such questions is now something of a standing joke although yesterday he even managed to raise his own bar on this one to a new level. In the course of his reply he put the case for seven of the colts. It is bad luck for Johann Zoffany and Malibu Bay that they did not get mentioned in despatches and, presumably, pace-making duties beckon.

If those were the answers from his head, Balding was marginally more successful when she sought an answer from his heart. She pointed out stable jockey Johnny Murtagh’s soft spot for Guineas fourth Rip Van Winkle. Did he have a soft spot for any of the nine? Fame And Glory is a nice horse he said.
Breakfast with the Stars gives trainers an opportunity to give their prospective Derby horses a spin round down Epsom’s Tattenham Corner. John Gosden took the opportunity to give Debussy, a 50-1 shot, another look at the badly cambered slope. Having won the Blue Riband Trial there in April he should be able to find his way round there blindfolded on Saturday week.
William Haggas also took the opportunity to give South Easter, another 50-1 shot, a feel of Epsom’s contours while Mick Channon did likewise with Montaff, another 50-1 shot. They, along with Kite Wood, look like being the only four runners in what to all intents of purposes is the Irish Derby. “If all the English trainers are realistic,” said the shrewd Haggas, “there is very little chance of one of ours beating all the Irish.”
 
By Howard Wright3.34PM 28 MAY 2009
EPSOM clerk of the course Andrew Cooper tested the going at the track on Thursday, eight days from the start of the Investec Derby festival, andexpressed himself “very happy with the way things are at the moment.”

Reporting a mix of "good and good to soft" going, after 16mm of rain on Tuesday, he said: “We work our schedule back from the time of the Derby, and I wouldn’t swap where we are right now.”


Local five-day forecasts have suggested a period of drying weather, with temperatures on Sunday and Monday in the mid-20s.

Cooper added: “We can afford to leave any idea of watering for the time being, butI’ll reconvene with our head groundsman Nigel Whybrow on Sunday, and see what the next five-day forecast tells us.

“We’ve no aversion to running the Derby on ‘good to firm’, but we will avoid anything that’s faster than quick but safe ground.”
 
Channon said: "He is certainly as good as Youmzain and we are hopeful. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to run Youmzain in the Derby, but we're going to give it a crack with Montaff."
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:eek: Youmzain part 2!
 
I would not say decision day but as far as I know all were meant to work this morning with Murtagh going down to ride.
 
Galileo said:
I would not say decision day but as far as I know all were meant to work this morning with Murtagh going down to ride.
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Cheers Gal... I suppose the best we can hope for is "...a nice colt that's coming forward".

What we won't get is something like "...get your house, your wife and your children on this total mortal lock".
 
Galileo said:
I'd keep an eye on the markets regarding the Ballydoyle horses this morning.
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Might just be an effect of relatively low liquidity, but Masterofthehorse was 25.0 earlier and is 15.0 now on Betfair. Rip Van Winkle 7.0 from 8.0 and the rest as they were.
 
By Racingpost.com staff12.47PM 29 MAY 2009
A DECISION on Crowded House's participation in the Investec Derby will be made on Monday, trainer Brian Meehan has announced.

The Racing Post Trophy winner had been the winter favourite for the Epsom Classic but disappointed on his seasonal return in the Dante Stakes at York, after which he scoped badly.

The trainer told brianmeehanatmanton.com: "Crowded House worked well yesterday and we are pleased with him, he had a good blow and will work again on Monday when a decision will be made as to whether we run in the Derby.

"The reason for this delayed decision is because he missed some work after the Dante and may be a little short, but we will know on Monday for sure."
 
If the weather in west London today extends out to Epsom they'll be needing the watering cans pretty soon.
 
The good weather has indeed spread to Epsom also. Mind you the ground on the course is superb and has some juice in it still with a very good grass cover.
 
BBC forecast has some light rain arriving on Wednesday, but after 5 or more clear days of sun and temps over 20, they'll need it.
 
O'Brien looking to send 6:

Fame And Glory
Rip Van Winkle
Age Of Aquarius
Black Bear Island
Masterofthehorse
Golden Sword

Freemantle hasn't been completely ruled out but may wait for Royal Ascot.
 
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