FASCINATING VODAFONE DERBY IN PROSPECT - JUDDMONTE OAKS HAS 25 GOING FORWARD
LATEST GROUND
Recent totesport.com Dante Stakes victor Tartan Bearer is one of 21 remaining entries for the 2008 Vodafone Derby. The £1,250,000 contest takes place over 12 furlongs at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 7.
Tartan Bearer will be bidding to emulate North Light who followed up his Group Two York success for owner Ballymacoll Stud and trainer Sir Michael Stoute when landing the 2004 Vodafone Derby. If successful, Tartan Bearer (a full-brother to the 2001 Vodafone Derby runner-up Golan) would give Newmarket-based Stoute his fifth Vodafone Derby success following on from Shergar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003) and the aforementioned North Light. Stoute has also left in Tajaaweed, successful in the Group Three Dee Stakes at Chester last time out.
Curtain Call could attempt to give Newmarket handler Luca Cumani his third Vodafone Derby triumph following Kahyasi (1988) and High-Rise (1998). The Sadler’s Wells colt won comfortably on his reappearance at Nottingham last month but side-stepped his next intended engagement in the Lingfield Derby Trial due to unsuitable ground.
There are eight Irish-trained contenders remaining. Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, who saddled Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) to victory at Epsom Downs, has seven entries going forward including Henrythenavigator, hero of the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas, Lingfield Derby Trial victor Alessandro Volta and Dante Stakes runner-up Frozen Fire. The O’Brien septet also includes Achill Island, Bashkirov, King Of Rome and Washington Irving. Last season, the master of Ballydoyle ran no less than eight horses in the Vodafone Derby.
New Approach is the other remaining Irish-trained entry. The Galileo colt finished runner-up to Henrythenavigator on his seasonal reappearance in the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas and the pair are due to reoppose in tomorrow’s Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. However, trainer Jim Bolger today revealed that New Approach was left in the Vodafone Derby in error and will not be lining up on June 7.
Empery in 1976 was the last French-trained Derby winner and the best hope of a first French victory in 32 years would appear to rest with Ripple, owned by the Aga Khan and trained by Jean-Claude Rouget. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar finished runner-up in the Group Two Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on May 12. The Aga Khan could also be represented by the Alain de Royer Dupre-trained Montmartre, a winner at Longchamp last month. The third French-trained entry is the rank outsider Maidstone Mixture from the Richard Chotard yard.
The Maktoum family’s Godolphin operation has two contenders going forward with recent French 2,000 Guineas runner-up Rio De La Plata and last season’s Group One Racing Post Trophy hero Ibn Khaldun.
Henry Cecil has sent out no less than four Derby heros in Slip Anchor (1985), Reference Point (1987), Commander In Chief (1993) and Oath (1999) and the master of Warren Place has one entry going in Kandahar Run, successful in the Listed Newmarket Stakes last month.
The four other remaining entries are the Mark Tompkins-trained Alan Devonshire, Bouguereau, who represents dual Vodafone Derby winning trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam, Bronze Cannon from the John Gosden yard and Feared In Flight, trained by Barry Hills.
There is one final chance for horses to be added to the Vodafone Derby at the five-day confirmation stage on Monday, June 2, when there is also a £75,000 supplementary entry stage. Connections have indicated that Doctor Fremantle, successful in the Group Three Chester Vase on May 8, will be a supplementary entry while impressive Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial victor Casual Conquest would also have to be supplemented if he were to line up at Epsom Downs on June 7.
25 GO FORWARD FOR JUDDMONTE OAKS - BURKE DREAMING OF GLORY WITH MIRACLE SEEKER
No less than 25 high-class fillies (up from 18 at the same stage in 2007) are still engaged in the £350,000 Juddmonte Oaks following today’s forfeit stage. The Classic takes place over a mile and a half at Epsom Downs on Ladies Day, Friday, June 6.
Miracle Seeker, trained by Clive Cox, completed her preparation for the Juddmonte Oaks with a courageous pillar to post victory in the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield on May 10, when she proved three-quarters of a length too strong for Look Here. Prior to that effort, she finished third behind Clowance in a Newbury maiden on April 18.
The Rainbow Quest filly, a half-sister to the 2008 Champion Hurdle winner Katchit, is owned and was bred by Dominic Burke, who is based at Tetbury in Gloucestershire.
Burke said today: “Miracle Seeker will line-up in the Juddmonte Oaks. She’s bouncing, eating up and she’s put on weight since her win at Lingfield. We think she’s come on quite a bit with each race.
“She had to make her own running at both Newbury and Lingfield and we think that she will be a better filly when she is near the front but not necessarily making her own running. I think they are perhaps underestimating her form in those races and she goes to Epsom Downs with a real live outsider’s chance.
“Clive has always held her in high regard from the day she turned up at his yard and his landlord John Francome said the horse was his pick of the yard. I speak to Clive every other day and we are both excited about having our first Classic runner.
“We know that she will stay every yard of the distance, having won over 11 and a half furlongs and that she will go on any ground. She’s a very settled filly and she travelled down the hill at Lingfield very well. The morning after that race she was kicking the door down, with no jarring or soreness.
“All of that family show a real willing attitude, just look her half-brother Katchit in this year’s Champion Hurdle. When Miracle Seeker had to make all in that tacky ground and the headwind, she got her head down and was closing up again against Clowance.
“That was her first run for the season and we genuinely think she will be a better horse with a slight tow. She hasn’t got a turn of foot, but she does possess gears and she’s a real battler.
“Adam Kirby will take the ride. I thought he rode a wonderful race at Lingfield when he stepped in for Philip Robinson, whose daughter was getting married that day. It would have been very hard to jock off Adam after such a nice ride and so he will definitely be in the saddle.
“She’s a fantastic filly and we are all very excited. We know she will handle the track and the ground and stay the distance. It will be a great thrill for all of us to see her take her chance in the Juddmonte Oaks.”
The Irish appear to hold a very strong hand and account for no less than 15 of the remaining entries.
Currently heading the market for the fillies’ Classic is the Jim Bolger-trained Lush Lashes, who was so impressive when landing the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York on May 14. The Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Cape Amber, runner-up to Lush Lashes at York, is also still engaged while Bolger could also run recent Curragh Group Three winner Prima Luce.
The Irish-trained contingent also includes the John Oxx-trained Katiyra, who shaped well over a mile in the Group Three 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on May 11 and Dermot Weld’s duo of Chinese White, a comfortable winner of a Listed contest at Gowran on May 4, and Mad About You who twice finished third in Group One company last year.
Aidan O’Brien has 10 entries going forward including Cheshire Oaks heroine Sail, the 2007 Group Two Rockfel Stakes winner Kitty Matcham, Musidora Stakes fourth Moonstone, recent Group Three Blue Wind Stakes scorer Adored as well as Halfway To Heaven, Ice Queen, Love To Dance, Savethisdanceforme, Soinlovewithyou and Tiffany Diamond.
Jean-Claude Rouget supplies the one remaining French entry, Honorlina.
Clowance has been the subject of good ante-post support this week after her decisive victory in the Listed Swettenham Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes at Newbury on May 16, while Michita entered the Juddmonte Oaks picture following her triumph in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday. Her trainer John Gosden could also be represented by Dar Re Mi, third behind Lush Lashes and Cape Amber at York.
The other entries going forward are Cheshire Oaks runner-up Sugar Mint, Shy and Try Me.
There is a £20,000 supplementary entry stage for the Juddmonte Oaks at the five-day confirmation stage on May 31.
LATEST GROUND
Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing at Epsom Downs, said today: “The course at Epsom Downs is in good condition and at present the ground is generally good to firm.
“The forecast for the Bank Holiday weekend is for unsettled conditions, with the chance of rain on Sunday and Monday.”
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