More than 220 people attended Thursday’s Derby Breakfast with the Stars at Epsom
Downs Racecourse, eight days before the two-day Derby Festival commences at the
Surrey track.
Contenders for the two classics, the Group 1 Derby on June 1 and the Group 1 Oaks
on May 31, worked on the course,
as did two likely runners for the Group 1 Coronation Cup on the Derby undercard. There were lots of interviews
with connections, conducted by Clare Balding and Nick Luck, as well as news from
Epsom Downs.
France’s 24-time champion trainer Andre Fabre brought Pour Moi to the
Breakfast with the Stars two years ago prior to the colt’s Derby success and he
is hoping Ocovango can replicate that effort.
The Monsun colt traveled over from France and worked under big-race pilot
Pierre-Charles Boudot this morning. Ocovango, unbeaten in three starts in
France, cruised up to his lead horse Hidden Rainbow two furlongs out and
steadily went clear. He was nearly six lengths ahead by the winning post.
“The horse’s owner, Prince Faisal, was happy to come here after the last race
in which Ocovango was very convincing (the Prix Greffulhe). He’s a definite runner as long as he
doesn’t have any setbacks,” Fabre said.
“The idea today was to show him the bend
and go downhill. It was not a serious workout but he was moving well and it was
very useful to come here for the horse and jockey.
“It was really important to come also because it is very quiet in French racing
but it will be a lot more hectic here next week.
“It is difficult to assess Ocovango’s form, but he is a Derby horse. He has a
very good balance and cruising speed. He’ll have one day of rest after today and
then just do regular canters ahead of the race.
“There is a slight doubt about him staying because there is a lot of speed on
his dam’s side, but his sire Monsun is a very strong staying influence so I think
he should be OK. He goes on any ground. The race is all about Dawn Approach if
he stays, but everyone has a chance for places.
“Although Pierre-Charles is young, he has been around all the courses in France
and is very experienced.”
Karl Burke, whose wife Elaine trains Dante winner Libertarian, believes
the New Approach colt has a realistic chance of reaching the frame.
“He’s come out of the Dante as well as could be hoped,” Burke said. “He lost
seven kilos at York but has put that on quickly and we’re very happy with him.
The Derby meeting has been lucky for us, I think we’ve had seven or
eight winners over the years, but I don’t think I’ve had an entry in the
Derby, let alone a runner.
“It has created a buzz in the yard but we’re not doing anything differently.
He’ll have another blow on Tuesday next week and that will be it.
“Like a lot of people, I think we’d like the race to be a bit later on as he’s
not the finished article yet. He’s a high-class horse, he’s guaranteed to stay
the trip and, if handles the track, I can see him running into a place. Then if
anything happens to the other horses, who knows?”
The rank outsider in this year’s Investec Derby is likely to be Ocean Applause,
a 500-1 chance with Coral, but both trainer John Ryan and owner Bill McLuskey
are keen to take their chance.
“We like boxing out of our weights a bit. You have to have a dream and if you
don’t you wouldn’t get up in the morning,” Ryan said. “But Bill’s had a
listed
winner here before with an outsider in Ocean’s Minstrel (in the 2009 Surrey
Stakes).
“Everything has gone wrong for us this year. The horses hadn’t been well earlier
in the season but they are coming back now. This fellow won’t disgrace us but
whether he is good enough I don’t know.
“This was our vision when we bought this horse because he was out of a mare
(2003 Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Aldora) that had done well here.”
“I agree with John,”
McLuskey added. “He can pick horses well and it’s a day we’ll
probably never get again.”
The latest Derby betting from Coral, official betting partner of the
Derby Festival: 4-5 Dawn Approach; 4-1 Battle of Marengo; 7-1 Ocovango; 8-1 Chopin,
Ruler of the World; 14-1 Mars; 16-1 Libertarian, Magician; remainder 20-1 and
above.
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