Fifteen left in the Derby
Aidan O’Brien clearly has no intention of declaring his Derby hand any time soon.
The Ballydoyle trainer has kept all six of his runners in the race at the latest declaration stage for the Investec Derby at Epsom on Saturday and his cards close to his chest.
There will be no news on which of O’Brien’s four main contenders - St Nicholas Abbey, Jan Vermeer, Cape Blanco and Midas Touch – will be ridden by stable jockey Johnny Murtagh. The trainer also has a pair of possible pacemakers in At First Sight and Bright Horizon.
There are now 15 colts left in the race which includes two late supplements from Godolphin. Sheikh Mohammed’s operation has had little to cheer in recent times, with a third place for Dubawi in 2005 all they have to show for the millions that the sheikh has lavished on his venture. The closest that the peacock blue livery has come to being seen in the winner’s enclosure is second places for City Honours (1998) and Rule Of Law (2004).
Undeterred the cheque book has come out once more, for the comparatively modest sum of £150,000, to supplement both Rewilding and Buzzword to the race, who are added to Al Zir. This year marks a departure in Godolphin’s strategy with Mahmood Al Zarooni being added as a second trainer in Britain alongside Saeed bin Suroor.
Al Zarooni is responsible for both Buzzword and Rewilding, previously with André Fabre’s yard in France, who became a major player for the Derby when he won a Listed race at Goodwood two weeks ago and Simon Crisford, Godolphin’s racing manger sounded in hopeful mood. “He was really impressive when he won at Goodwood and we think he ticks all the boxes,” Crisford said. “He’s got a great temperament, he appears to be bombproof, he definitely stays a mile-and-a-half and he’s got plenty of class as well. Whether or not he’s got enough class to win the Derby we’ll find out on the day.
“The big thing with him is that he seems to be improving. He took his race at Goodwood really well, handled the track and the undulations so we’re going to Epsom full of hope for a great run.”
There were similar hopes harboured for Al Zir, third to St Nicholas Abbey in the Racing Post Trophy, when he ran in the 2000 Guineas when he finished ninth for Frankie Dettori. “We went there thinking he had place chances,” Crisford said. “Frankie felt that the slow pace didn’t really help him at all, he never really got into his full rhythm. He ran ok, but not as good as we were hoping for. But what we did take out of the race was that he definitely wants a longer trip.”
Dettori will be again be riding Rewilding with Ahmed Ajtebi taking the ride on Al Zir in what is something of a role reversal in that Dettori has tended to keep his links with Bin Suroor while Ajtebi has been aligned with Al Zarooni. The decision on riding plans was left to the owner and the fact that Ajtebi has had only seven rides at Epsom, admittedly with two winners, clearly played a part.
No final decision has been made about a jockey for Buzzword, who stayed on well in the final furlong of the Poule D’Essai Des Poulains at Longchamp, Crisford said: “We’ve decided to enter Buzzword in the Derby after he worked nicely at the weekend. We have wanted to try him over a longer trip ever since he stayed on so well in the French 2,000 Guineas. His work was strong and this has prompted us to go for the Derby.”
Two runners in the Derby marks a remarkable progression for Al Zarooni. In late March he officially joined Godolphin’s team of trainers, having been an assistant trainer to Bin Suroor. Just three days later his first runner, Calming Influence, won the Group Two Godolphin Mile, on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan, while Allybar finished a close third in the World Cup itself.
The following month he saddled his first British winner when Lion Mountain won at Pontefract and this month won a first European Classic when Frozen Power took the Group Two Mehl Mulhens-Rennen (German 2,000 Guineas).
The new man is quick to point out the part played by Fabre in Rewilding’s development. “André Fabre did very well with him,” Al Zarooni said. “He’s relaxed, quiet, a focussed horse and he’s a professional – he knows what he’s doing. I’m trying my best and I need the luck. I’m very excited – it’s a big race and everyone wish to run in it. So for me, as a first-season trainer, to have a runner in the Derby – it’s a winner.”
Godolphin’s Derby record: 1995 Vettori (6th), 1997 Bold Demand (9th), 1998 City Honours (2nd), 1998 Cape Verdi (9th), 1999 Dubai Millennium (9th), Adair (13th), 2000 Best Of The Bests (4th), 2000 Hatha Anna (6th), 2000 Inchlonaig (11th), 2000 Broche (12th), 2001 Tobougg (3rd), 2002 Moon Ballad (3rd), 2002 Naheef (7th), 2003 Graikos (8th), 2004 Rule Of Law (2nd), 2004 Snow Ridge (7th), 2005 Dubawi (3rd), 2008 Rio De La Plata (7th), 2009 Kite Wood (9th).
Tags: