Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith & Michael Tabor’s PAPAL BULL (Montjeu [Ire]) was
supplemented Monday for Saturday’s £5
million Vodafone Derby (Eng-G1)at Epsom, for which 22 colts stood their ground
at the five-day stage. Successful in the Chester Vase (Eng-G3), the Sir Michael
Stoute-trained colt was added to the Blue Riband. Kieren Fallon, weighing up his
options Monday, has not ruled out taking the mount on Papal Bull over the
Ballydoyle contingent.
“He’s a horse I think highly of, so he’s an option and it’ll be a tough
decision,” the rider commented. “I was impressed with him at Chester — if I’d
gone a furlong earlier, he’d have put distance between himself and his rivals
and he’d be a leading fancy.”
Aidan O’Brien left in five, including Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1) winner
Horatio Nelson (Danehill). His Highness the Aga Khan’s Prix Greffulhe (Fr-G2)
victor Visindar (Sinndar) remains on course, and his trainer Andre Fabre also
has Sean Mulryan’s Lingfield Derby Trial (Eng-G3) winner Linda’s Lad (Sadler’s
Wells), who will bid to end Frankie Dettori’s drought in the race.
Marcus Tregoning has confirmed Anthony Pakenham’s Two Thousand Guineas
(Eng-G1) runner-up Sir Percy (Mark of Esteem [Ire]) for the 1 1/2-mile classic, while other notables are Championship Point (Lomitas [GB]) and Two
Thousand Guineas third Olympian Odyssey (Sadler’s Wells).