A dozen potential Derby (Eng-G1) heroes have joined the list of entries for
the English season’s premier classic, staged over 1 1/2 miles at Epsom Downs on
June 4, and worth £1.25 million, among them the Kevin Prendergast-trained
DUNBOYNE EXPRESS (Shamardal).
Last year, Workforce (GB) (King’s Best) became the first Derby winner to have
been entered at the second stage.
The addition of the 12 second entries on Tuesday, at a cost of £8,000 each,
were announced Thursday. There are now 134 horses engaged for the 2011 Derby.
Dunboyne Express won two of three starts last term, including the Anglesey S.
(Ire-G3) at the Curragh before closing out the season with fifth in the Racing
Post Trophy (Eng-G1) behind CASAMENTO (Shamardal), who is also among those added
at the latest stage.
Dunboyne Express returned to action on March 27, with a pleasing victory in
the Leopardstown Two Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-G3) over a mile and now heads
to the Curragh for the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) on May 21.
Referring to the Derby as a potential option for the colt, Prendergast
revealed: “It would be on the agenda, depending on how he progresses in the
Irish Two Thousand Guineas — if he runs a good race at the Curragh, the Derby
would have to be considered.
“His pedigree says he should get a mile and a half, but it’s not written in
stone. His dam is a half-sister to the Oaks winner (Eng-G1) Love Divine, so he’s
also related to the St Leger (Eng-G1) winner, Sixties Icon (GB). Shamardal got
10 furlongs and he was a real class horse, so there’s every chance that Dunboyne
Express will get the trip.
“I was very pleased with him at Leopardstown the other day. The runner-up,
Exodus (Montjeu [Ire]), had tried to make the running in a Group 1 in France on
very bad ground last year and just got tired the last furlong to finish fourth,
so he’s probably decent. I’d say it was a good trial.
“He couldn’t be better after that run the other day.”
Prendergast, 78, has another promising prospect in the Hamdan al Maktoum-owned
MAWAAKEF (Azamour [Ire]), who was entered for the Derby at the initial stage in
2009.
The colt landed a Killarney maiden before finishing runner-up to Casamento in
the Beresford S. (Ire-G2) at the Curragh in September.
The County Kildare trainer reported: “Mawaakef runs in the Ballsax S.
(Ire-G3) at Leopardstown on Sunday. He had three runs last year — he was fourth
first time, then he won and then he was second in the Beresford to Casamento,
who went and won the Racing Post Trophy.
“He couldn’t be better. He might just need the run on Sunday, but he’s in
good shape.”
Also among those added at the second entry is Godolphin’s DUBAI PRINCE (Shamardal),
a Mahmood al Zarooni-trained stablemate to Casamento and the unbeaten winner of
the Killavullan S. (Ire-G3) last term.
Owner/breeder Khalid Abdulla has engaged the Henry Cecil-trained pair of
PICTURE EDITOR (Dansili [GB]) and MIDSUMMER SUN (Monsun), as well as SEA MOON
(Beat Hollow [GB]), trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who saddled Workforce to
victory for Abdulla in last year’s Derby.
Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has entered MARKSMANSHIP (Galileo
[Ire]) at the second entry stage following his impressive debut victory at
Leopardstown on Sunday.
Owner Fitri Hay has added NO HERETIC (Galileo [Ire]) and the unraced
STRATEGIC BID (Selkirk), both trained by Paul Cole, successful in the Derby with
the brilliant Generous in 1991.
NATIVE KHAN (Azamour [Ire]), trained by Ed Dunlop, landed the Solario S.
(Eng-G3) and was subsequently fourth in the Racing Post Trophy, while maiden
winners MARHABA MALYOON (Tiger Hill) and LOVING SPIRIT (Azamour [Ire]),
trained by David Simcock and James Toller respectively, have also been entered.
The next and final entry stage costing £75,000 deadlines at noon on May 30.