Trainer Henry Cecil has a strong hand in the Epsom Downs classics this year,
with Juddmonte Farms’ homebreds BULLET TRAIN (Sadler’s Wells) in the June 5
Derby (Eng-G1) and AVIATE (Dansili [GB]) and TIMEPIECE (Zamindar) for the June 4
Oaks (Eng-G1).
“Bullet Train is a horse who is improving,” Cecil said of the Lingfield Derby
Trial (Eng-G3) winner. “He is very tough, gets the trip and I think he will act
on the course.
“He does not do much at home, being laid-back and lazy. He is coming on race
by race.
“Looking at the Derby at the moment, it is reasonably open and he deserves to
take his chance. I think he will definitely get a mile and half and hopefully
with a bit of speed left at the end.
“He has been trained with the Derby in mind ever since he won at Lingfield
(on May 8). He will improve for that race and do himself justice. I would like
him to have a handy position in the race — he does not mind being up there —
and then he can work his way into it in the straight.
“I have been enjoying the way of life for the last couple of years and long
may it continue.”
Timepiece finished second as the odds-on favorite in the Oaks Trial at
Lingfield, also on May 8.
“The trial I think rightly or wrongly was a funny race,” Cecil noted. “They
went too fast early on. I am going to have her ridden differently this time. I
think she has a lot of ability.
“I think probably that Tom Queally will ride Aviate and Eddie Ahern Timepiece
— he has won on her.
“Aviate is improving the whole time – she is unbeaten. Being out of that
family, she has a touch of Nijinsky II on the dam’s side and I think she will
stay.
“Looking at the race at York (the May 12 Musidora S. [Eng-G3]), they went
slowly and Aviate was in a pocket and then they quickened up. She was caught
slightly flat-footed and took a bit of time to really pick herself up — that
you gives you the feeling that she will be suited by a longer distance.
“The Oaks, like the Derby, looks quite open. I am not saying I am going to
win it, but at this stage I am very happy with the two I have got.”
Lord Grimthorpe, owner Khalid Abdulla’s racing manager, attended Thursday’s
Breakfast with the Stars event at Epsom and spoke of the team’s classic hopes.
“Bullet Train is a very Sadler’s Wells to look at — he is related closely to
Powerscourt (GB). He has got to improve. When there was no pace, the plan was to
go on anyway at Lingfield. I was very pleased with the way he put the race to
bed.
“Henry has got quite a good record in the Oaks,” Grimthorpe mentioned,
referring to Cecil’s eight victories in the classic. “Henry has always had a
soft spot for Timepiece. She has to improve though.
“Aviate was always going to be a bit of a dark horse and has come through the
ranks. When she got out of trouble in the Musidora at York, it was quite
exciting as she really was in trouble. She slotted right into the gap when it
appeared and I think that augurs well.
“Aviate is solid — unbeaten in three races — and is pretty straightforward,
but Timepiece is a bit unknown yet this season. Timepiece worked on the
Limekilns at Newmarket before Lingfield and she worked all over Bullet Train —
I thought something was wrong with him. So going into Lingfield, we were pretty
excited by Timepiece. It didn’t quite work out and maybe she will be a nice
surprise.”
Grimthorpe also discussed another Juddmonte Derby contender, the Sir Michael
Stoute-trained WORKFORCE (King’s Best), who romped in his debut last September
and finished second in the May 13 Dante S. [Eng-G2]) at York.
“Workforce will run in the Investec Derby with an Australian noseband. He is
certainly on an upward curve. He is a great big horse by King’s Best. Nothing
seems to bother him at all — temperament-wise he is solid.
“I think there is a still a great deal of improvement in Workforce. At York
it took him a while to get organized and Ryan (Moore) went to pull him out and
the bit came through his mouth. He certainly was not going to win there but he
would have run nearer than he did.
“Workforce has the potential to be very exciting, he is going to come on
later in the year, and I have always had a strong feeling for Aviate.”
Stoute, not able to travel from Newmarket, said over the phone: “Workforce
does not worry about much – he is pretty laid-back. We have put on an Australian
noseband as a precaution. Hopefully the bit coming through his mouth last time
was a one-off.
“He is a bit short of experience and is just workmanlike at home which was
also the case last year. He won very well on his one start last year.
“I was sorry not to be able to give him two races before the Derby, because
that was the initial plan, but he just did not come to himself during the spring
we had.
“He is a big progressive sort of horse, 16.2 hands. He has plenty of talent.
He does not tell us much at home, but he is very well.”