Coordinated Cut works during ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ at
Epsom
Epsom Downs Racecourse hosted its ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ Thursday
morning, featuring works by Derby (Eng-G1) contender COORDINATED CUT (Montjeu
[Ire]) and Oaks (Eng-G1) hopeful CHAMPAGNELIFESTYLE (Montjeu [Ire]).
Coordinated Cut, trained by Michael Bell who sent Motivator out to win the
Derby in 2005, was due to have been ridden by Derby jockey Jamie Spencer in his
work with stable companion Strong Vigilance (Mr. Greeley), a maiden after three
runs who is also owned by Lawrie Inman.
Neither Bell nor Spencer, however, was able to leave Newmarket by helicopter
because of poor visibility and Ernie Johnson, who partnered the 1969 Derby
winner Blakeney, was in the saddle instead.
The two three-year-olds started from the nine-furlong marker with Strong
Vigilance setting a steady pace two lengths ahead of Coordinated Cut, who got
closer turning into the straight.
Coordinated Cut ranged up with a quarter-mile to go and led close to the
finish without breaking into a sweat.
“Obviously, I would have liked to have been there at Epsom to watch the horse
in action, but what will be will be,” Bell said afterwards by phone.
“He is a very nice horse, has a very good cruising speed and a very good
temperament for a Montjeu (Ire) horse. He is very easy to deal with and
laid-back.
“I am hoping to get a bit of improvement out of him. I was probably too easy
on him after he won the sales race (the Tattersalls Timeform Three-Year-Old
Trophy) at Newmarket in April, as he blew very hard after finishing third in the
Dante ([Eng-G2] at York on May 13) so I probably under-cooked him.
“So I am hoping for improvement fitness-wise, and going over a bit further in
the Investec Derby will also help him.
“We set out to win the Dante and I think he was just getting a bit lonely in
the last furlong. A combination of looking around him and probably getting a bit
tired did not help.
“Jamie feels that, ridden with more restraint, he would have been definitely
done better in that race.
“Ridden slightly differently and fitness-wise, I hoping to get at least six
or seven pounds of improvement out of him. Whether that is good enough to win
the Derby is another matter, but we will find out on June 5.
“Nothing has yet put a mark on the race — it looks pretty open. I think our
horse will run a big race. I am not saying he is going to win it, but I think he
will run very well.”
Bell will also be represented at the two-day Derby Festival by SARISKA
(Pivotal), last year’s Oaks winner, in the Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) on June 4.
“Sariska is in fantastic form and looks a picture,” Bell said. “She is moving
very well and did a very, very impressive bit of work last week. I am really
sweet on her.”
Champagnelifestyle, trained by Barry Hills and leased by a 20-strong
syndicate connected with the Racehorse Owners Association called Champagne
Fridays, worked over 10 furlongs at Epsom, also under Johnson.
An unraced filly by Rainbow Quest called Maroon was the work companion of the
Oaks hope.
Again a modest pace was set, and Champagnelifestyle cruised up to Maroon in
the straight, but Johnson did not want to go ahead and the two fillies finished
upsides at the winning post.
“We are absolutely delighted with her,” said Charlie Hills, assistant trainer
and son of Barry, who attended the work.
“Ernie took her over a mile and a quarter and was very happy with her. She
will probably have one more piece of work before the Investec Oaks.”
“Coordinated Cut has a good temperament and is very professional,” Johnson
offered. “Champagnelifestyle went around the course well too.”
Chester Vase S. (Eng-G3) winner TED SPREAD (Beat Hollow [GB]) is a 33-1
chance for the Derby with totesport, official betting partner of Epsom Downs
Racecourse.
His trainer Mark Tompkins, interviewed over the phone, said: “The more rain
the better for Ted Spread, but as long as it is good ground I will be happy.
“We said over the winter that we thought he was more a St Leger (Eng-G1)
horse. We went to Chester because of the ground, and once he won that, the Derby
became a target.
“He is similar to Bob’s Return (whom Tompkins trained to win the 1993 St
Leger), and the quicker they go the better it will be for him in the Derby.
Hopefully, he won’t disgrace himself.
“I think Daryll Holland a broke collar-bone last night and we’ve had a few
phone calls this morning. I would love to have Kieren (Fallon) if he was
available.”
Later Thursday, it emerged that Michael Hills had picked up the mount aboard
Ted Spread in the Derby.
“Ted Spread has plenty of ability and will come on four or five lengths for
Chester,” Tompkins added. “If it came up soft and they went quick enough, I would hope he could
finish fourth or fifth.”
John Gosden, who sent out Benny the Dip to win the Derby in 1997, runs AZMEEL
(Azamour [Ire]) this year.
The Newmarket trainer, speaking in a telephone interview, said Thursday: “He
very much needed the race in the Sandown Classic Trial ([Eng-G3] on April 23, in
which he finished second), and I made no secret that I had a difficult winter
with him.
“Azmeel very much blew up at the one and a half furlong pole. He came on and
won the Dee S. ([Eng-G3] on May 7) at Chester. The race was not really run to
suit him, as he got pushed back with five furlongs to run. He split horses and
won in nice style, going away to win perhaps a shade cozily.
“He has done well since then and pleased me in his work at home. Running
around Chester always helps handling the bends at Epsom.
“The standard of the Derby is pretty high, and I certainly feel that Aidan
(O’Brien) holds the aces and it is just a question of how he plays his cards.
“William (Buick) will ride Azmeel all being well. He has probably watched
enough Derbys and seen enough. The one thing you want in a Derby is a horse that
has natural speed to get in the position that you want to be, a nice cruising
speed and is able to stay the trip.
“GERTRUDE BELL (Sinndar) will stay the trip well in the Investec Oaks. It was
slow-run race at Chester (the May 5 Chester Oaks) and she won, but it was not
the way she likes to race.”
Marcus Tregoning trains RUMOUSH (Rahy), the 9-2 joint favorite with totesport
for the Oaks.
The trainer told Breakfast with the Stars in a telephone interview: “She
worked very well at Lingfield yesterday over a mile and a quarter.
“I just wanted her to come down the hill there and give her more experience.
She came out of it well.
“I think she would have been in the frame in the One Thousand Guineas
([Eng-G1] at Newmarket on May 2, where she finished seventh) but for the draw,
18 of 18.
“She has got to get the trip. I trained her half-brother Mawatheeq who is by
Danzig, more and influence for speed, and he was very effective over both a mile
and a quarter and a mile and a half. So I am hopeful, being by Rahy, that she
will stay a mile and a half too.
“She has a reasonably relaxed way of going and a good kick at the end.”
Jim Bolger is another trainer hoping to saddle the Oaks winner. He will rely
on AKDARENA (Hernando [Fr]) rather than Gile Na Greine (Galileo [Ire]).
The Irish-based handler said Thursday over the phone: “We hope she will stay
the trip. She wasn’t stopping when she won (the May 12 Blue Wind S. [Ire-G3]
over 1 1/4 miles) at Naas. Kevin (Manning) set a strong pace there on her — the
further they went, the better she seemed to be going. We are plenty happy that
she will stay well.
“She doesn’t have to make the running as long as there is a decent pace and
we will play it by ear. It was a good performance at Naas, winning by seven
lengths.
“I would say that betting at the moment indicates very well the level of
ability of the first six contenders (Akdarena is a 10-1 chance with totesport)
and I am hoping we are thereabouts.”
Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing at Epsom Downs
Racecourse, had news of the ground.
“I am very happy with the state of the ground,” Cooper said. “I would
describe the going as good at the moment. We had about two millimeters of rain
this morning, which has helped.
“The course is in lovely condition, though it has been late coming this year.
I walked the course on Tuesday and for the first time I felt it was getting
there in terms of its cover and condition.
“We have had a difficult spring but are getting to just about where we want
the ground to be. The recent hot weather has brought the grass on.
“In terms of irrigation, we will not do anything here until we have got
Saturday out of the way. The next chance of rain is on Saturday, though I sense
we will not get as much as once thought.
“We can sit back for the time being before getting some up to date
information on what the weather will be like next week. We would water on the
morning of the Thursday (the day before the Derby Festival starts) if we felt it
was appropriate.
“One thing I have always avoided here, having had a bad experience at a
quieter two-day meeting, is watering overnight — it was disaster.
“Any watering will be done and dusted before the meeting starts. I have never
watered between the two days of the Investec Derby Festival and I don’t intend
to start.
“I am open minded about watering next week. Our aim is to ensure that by the
time we get to 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon (June 5), the Investec Derby is not
run on ground any quicker than good to firm.”