Ryan Moore, Coolmore’s number one jockey, will ride Giovanni Canaletto
(Galileo) in Saturday’s Epsom Derby (Eng-G1). The colt, one of three in the
lineup for trainer Aidan O’Brien, is a full brother to Ruler of the World, whom
Moore rode to victory in the Derby in 2013.
Giovanni Canaletto finished third on debut last October and broke his maiden
three weeks later. He was second in The Curragh’s Gallinule S. (Eng-G3) on
seasonal debut May 24, and has been the subject of heavy recent market support.
He is currently the 8-1 co-fourth choice.
Coolmore also revealed on Twitter that Joseph O’Brien will ride Lingfield
Derby Trial winner Kilimanjaro (High Chaparral) in the Derby, while Seamie
Heffernan will be aboard Chester Vase (Eng-G3) winner Hans Holbein (Montjeu).
In Friday’s Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1), Moore will ride the One Thousand Guineas
(Eng-G1) winner Legattisimo (Danehill Dancer). O’Brien will be aboard Fillies’
Mile (Eng-G1) winner Together Forever (Galileo); Heffernan will ride Chesire
Oaks winner Diamondsandrubies (Fastnet Rock); and Colm O’Donoghue will be on
Park S. (Eng-G3) winner Qualify (Fastnet Rock).
In other Epsom Derby news:
Zawraq (Shamardal), among the favorites for the Epsom Derby, is not certain
to start in that classic after suffering an injury scare Tuesday. The Dermot
Weld charge, who is unbeaten in two starts including the Leopardstown Two
Thousand Guineas Trial, was slightly lame after returning from a routine piece
of work.
“He did a bit of work this morning with Pat Smullen up, he did it fine and
walked back to the yard OK but when the head lad came back into his box, he just
thought he took a lame step,” said Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan.
“He did his work fine, had a pick of grass back at the yard, but they just felt
he wasn’t 100 percent when they trotted him up.
“He has been taken to the vets for x-rays and scans and they came back fine,
they didn’t show up anything apart from a small mark on the inside of his
near-fore cannon bone, so hopefully he has just given himself a knock. We will
obviously know more over the next 36 hours or so. We are hoping to get him to
the Derby but we just wanted to make everyone aware of what has happened.”
Jockey Frankie Dettori, who will partner Derby favorite Golden Horn (Cape
Cross) for the first time in the classic, told At The Races Golden Horn’s John
Gosden stable companion Jack Hobbs (Halling) — runner-up to the favorite with
Dettori aboard in the Dante S. (Eng-G2) May 14 — is one of the rivals he will
fear most Saturday.
“I’m scared of Jack Hobbs; the horse has improved since the Dante and he
stays well,” Dettori said.
Godolphin bought an interest in Jack Hobbs after the Dante, meaning one of
that operation’s retained riders would partner the colt in the Derby. One of
those riders, William Buick, rode Golden Horn in the Dante, and therefore that
mount was left open for Dettori’s taking. While many believe Golden Horn’s
stamina concerns could get him beat Saturday, Dettori said his “gut feeling” is
that his mount will stay.
“He is favorite; we know what he’s made of,” Dettori said. “The same question
keeps coming up: Will he stay? My gut feeling says yes, so it’s fingers crossed
now as his preparation has gone well.”
Dettori also noted he will not underestimate the Aidan O’Brien-trained trio
of Hans Holbein, Kilimanjaro, and Giovanni Canaletto.
“Their forte is that they are all good stayers so I’m sure they are going to
make a race of it,” the rider said. “The Chester Vase winner (Hans Holbein)
looked a good stayer. You can never dismiss Aidan O’Brien; he’s a master, and
whatever he runs you have to respect.”
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