With the Derby Festival just two weeks away, the final fields for the Group 1
Derby and Group 1 Oaks are beginning to take shape following Friday’s
scratchings deadline.
Run at Epsom Downs on June 2 and with a prize fund of at least £1,325,000,
the Derby has 24 colts going forward headed by the unbeaten Camelot, who is one
of five remaining entries for trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Camelot was the impressive winner of the first classic of the season, the
Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on May 5 and, if successful at Epsom
Downs, would become the 37th colt to complete the Guineas/Derby double and the
first since Sea The Stars in 2009. He is currently the 4-5 favorite for the
Derby with William Hill, Official Betting Partner of the 2012 Derby Festival.
O’Brien, who is seeking a third Derby success following the victories of
Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002), could also be represented by Imperial
Monarch, who was victorious in the Group 3 Classic Trial at Sandown Park on
April 28; Astrology, who was the runaway 11-length winner of the Group 3 Dee
Stakes at Chester on May 11; Father of Science, an impressive maiden winner at
Chester last week; and Tower Rock, who was the neck runner-up in the Group 2
Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on May 13.
There is one other potential challenger from Ireland in the shape of the Jim
Bolger-trained Parish Hall, who has not been seen out so far this season but was
successful in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last season.
The strongest rival to Camelot could prove to be Friday’s Group 2 Dante
Stakes victor Bonfire, who is current the 6-1 second favorite with William Hill.
The son of Manduro was an impressive winner at York and represents owners
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Pocahontas Syndicate) and trainer Andrew Balding.
Winners of the Dante Stakes have an impressive record in the Derby in recent
years with Authorized (2007), Motivator (2005) and North Light (2004) having won
both races.
Other horses going forward to have won recognized trials for the Derby
include Group 3 Chester Vase scorer Mickdaam and the unbeaten Main Sequence, who
recorded his fourth and most recent victory in the Group 3 Derby Trial at
Lingfield Park on May 12.
Pour Moi in 2011 became the first French-trained winner of the Derby since
Empery in 1976, and there is one potential starter from France this season in
Kesampour. Trained by Mikel Delzangles for owner the Aga Khan, Kesampour is
unbeaten in four outings and was successful in the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe at
Saint-Cloud on May 5 last time out — the same race that Pour Moi won en route
to classic glory at Epsom Downs.
Sir Henry Cecil, trainer of four winners of the Derby, has three potential
challengers this time around headed by Frankel’s full brother Noble Mission, a
listed winner at Newmarket last time out who is declared to run at the same
venue in a similar contest again Saturday, plus Wrotham Heath and Thomas
Chippendale.
The five-day conformation stage for the Derby is on May 28, when there is
also one final chance for connections to enter horses via the £75,000
supplementary entry stage.
The Derby Festival gets underway on June 1 when the £350,000 Oaks takes
center stage. A total of 22 fillies remains in the fillies’ classic, which takes
place over the same 1 1/2-mile course at Epsom Downs as the Derby.
Currently vying for favoritism with William Hill are The Fugue and Maybe.
The Fugue, the 100-30 favorite with William Hill, finished a fine fourth on
her seasonal reappearance in the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on
May 6, one place behind Maybe, but seemed to relish the step up in trip when an
eye-catching winner of the Group 2 Musidora Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs
at York on May 16. She is trained by John Gosden for owner Lord and Lady
Lloyd-Webber.
Maybe, who is the 7-2 second favorite with William Hill, was undefeated as a
juvenile, including in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, and is one of six
remaining entries for trainer O’Brien along with Cheshire Oaks runner-up
Betterbetterbetter, Devotion, recent listed scorer Kissed, Musidora Stakes
runner-up Twirl and Was.
In addition to holding an excellent chance in the Derby with Bonfire, the
Pocahontas Syndicate of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing also has a leading Oaks
contender in Vow, who was an impressive winner of the Oaks Trial at Lingfield on
May 12, when she was 3 1/4 lengths too strong for Colima. She is trained by
William Haggas, successful in the Oaks 12 months ago with Dancing Rain, who was
his first runner in the classic.
Alain de Royer Dupre supplies the one remaining French-trained contender in
the shape of the Aga Khan’s Dalkala. The Giant’s Causeway filly is unbeaten in
three outings, most recently recording an impressive victory in the Group 3 Prix
Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud on May 15.
The six-day confirmation stage for the Oaks is on May 26 when there is also a
£20,000 supplementary entry stage.
Andrew Cooper, director of racing at Epsom Downs, issued a ground and weather
update Friday.
“If we were racing today, I would say the going description would be good,
good to soft in places,” Cooper said. “The ground is a bit dead, slightly on the
slow side of good.
“The last appreciable amount of rain we received was on Tuesday and it has
been dry since then. The outlook remains for conditions to stay dry although
temperatures will remain on the cool side for the time of year.
“Both the Derby and the Oaks in 2012 promise to be memorable contests and it
is very pleasing to see all the main contenders going forward at this stage.”