ALL THE NEWS FROM DAY 1 OF THE PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL - SPRINTER SACRE SUPREME

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL 2013

RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

JEZKI TAKES CHAMPAGNE

The Jessica Harrington-trained Jezki (2/1), who finished third to Champagne Fever in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, reversed form with that rival to land the Grade 1 HERALD CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE by 16 lengths under Barry Geraghty.

 

"He was unbelievable. Everything went right for him today," said Harrington.

"He settled well, then took a chance at the second but after that he was always travelling. They went a good clip, which helped, and then when Barry asked him to go he really accelerated.

"I was a bit disappointed at Cheltenham and thought it was a very good race but I don't know why things were different today. Maybe it was the travelling or the hill at Cheltenham or perhaps the sun shining today has helped.

"He has only done one piece of work since Cheltenham and the only time we have jumped him at home since then was yesterday."

Jezki is just 6/1 with Paddy Power and 10/1 with Boylesports for next year's Champion Hurdle and Harrington added: "I've not spoken to Mr McManus and his team but I'd imagine he'll stay over two miles over hurdles next season as he is still only five."

Today's third Champagne Fever's trainer Willie Mullins commented: "He didn't seem to jump with the same fluency today. He missed three or four down the back and was disappointing. I've no real excuses, he was in good form coming here."

Meade delighted with Il Fenomeno

Trainer Noel Meade was delighted to see Il Fenomeno win the bragbet.com HANDICAP HURDLE under Paul Carberry.

"I was due a change of luck, things haven't been going my way of late," said Meade. "To be honest I thought he'd win the County Hurdle at Cheltenham and I couldn't believe he stopped when he did that day.

"He has a lot of ability, he's a Group 3 winner on the Flat, but he keeps a lot to himself. He stopped again when he hit the front today. He'll probably jump a fence over the summer."

First winner for Donworth

The opening KILDARE HUNT CLUB FR SEAN BREEN MEMORIAL CHASE FOR THE LADIES CUP was won by the Enda Bolger-trained Zest For Life (4/1), who provided a first Punchestown victory for 18-year-old amateur Tim Donworth on his first ride at the track

"Tim has been riding in point-to-points and has done that well," said Bolger. "The horse could come back here on Saturday and we could take him to Le Lion D'Angers in France again, where he ran in May last year."

Donworth, whose parents Bobby and Honora own Roundhill Stud in County Limerick, is studying equine business in Maynooth.

SPRINTER SUPREME

Sprinter Sacre was applauded into a packed parade ring prior to the Grade 1 BOYLESPORTS.COM CHAMPION CHASE on the Punchestown Festival's opening day and the 1/9 favourite returned to an even heartier reception after fighting off Sizing Europe to win the two-mile contest by five and a half lengths.

Nicky Henderson's charge, regarded as one of the greatest modern-day chasers, became the first horse since Istabraq in 1999 to claim major honours at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown in the same season.

"Job done," said Henderson. "It was tougher today. Barry (Geraghty) said the horse was at his best at Cheltenham, not as sharp at Aintree and not as sharp again today. He was 101 per cent at Cheltenham and then to come back and to come back again takes a very good horse.

"These are Grade 1s, they are not easy races, and to come into these theatres has to take a lot out of these horses. To do the three is very, very hard.

"The ground was tougher for him today, he can't quite jump out of this as easily as if it's good. He was clinical, clean and did nothing wrong. Fair play to Sizing Europe, who has set a real gallop.

"I hope everyone has enjoyed seeing him, that's why we are here. It's very special because we have loved coming to Punchestown for years. We've always adored the place. Ireland is a nation of horse lovers and you feel you owe it to everybody to bring him here. There's no point staying at home. The reception and appreciation he got was very, very special.

"I'm pleased that Corky (Browne) my head lad, who has been with us since the beginning in 1978, has come over. As his name suggests he's from Cork and so it's nice for him that Sprinter is winning in his home country."

Barry Geraghty added: "Sizing Europe put it to us today and I had to work. That heavy ground didn't suit my lad as well as good and from four out it was not as easy for him as it had been elsewhere. But we still put it to bed. That wasn't a 10 out of 10 - it was a 12 out of 10!

"Sprinter Sacre's class got him through today. We went a good gallop and it was nice ground until the fourth last but, because we had gone quick early, it was a real test of stamina and he certainly doesn't lack in that department.

"He popped the third last and I felt him take a blow so I had to fill him up and wait for him to come back on the bridle which he did. He didn't land running at the back of the third or second last but it's hard work out there and he answered every call.

"It's the best reception I've had. I haven't seen anything like it since Desert Orchid won the Irish Grand National when I was nine or 10. It was crazy in the winner's enclosure.

 

"You could go up in trip if you want and that is another day's work, but he is the dog's at two miles."

           

Sizing Europe's trainer Henry de Bromhead added: "We decided we'd throw the kitchen sink at your man (Sprinter Sacre) today and Andrew (Lynch) gave him a super ride.

"At least we got Sprinter off the bridle, it was nice to see Barry pushing, but the winner is an unbelievable horse."

RECORD FIRST DAY CROWD

Today's crowd was a record 18,607, compared to 14,345 on the same day last year.

RACING RETURNS TO GOODWOOD ON SATURDAY, MAY 4

- KNIGHT & EGAN LOOK FORWARD TO NEW SEASON

Goodwood Racecourse stages its first fixture of the new Flat season on Opening Saturday, May 4. The seven-race card is headlined by £40,000 Listed Betfred The Bonus King EBF Daisy Warwick Stakes (2.20pm) over a mile and a half and the £40,000 Listed Betfred Mobile Casino British Stallion Studs EBF Conqueror Stakes (4.05pm) over a mile, both restricted to fillies and mares.

Darren Egan, 21,established himself as one of the best apprentice riders last season with 47 winners and was also one of the leading pilots at Goodwood with six successes from just 20 rides (a strike-rate of 30 per cent), including two at Glorious Goodwood. His first winner at Goodwood's main meeting came courtesy of the Mark Johnston-trained Landaman in the competitive bet365.com Handicap on the opening day (July 31).

A fall at Wolverhampton in October left Egan with a broken collarbone and put paid to his chances of winning the apprentice title, but he has picked up where he left off this season, annexing the valuable Lincoln Handicap aboard Levitate by a short-head at Doncaster on March 30. The Irishman is apprenticed to trainer Ron Harris, who is based near Chepstow in Wales.

Egan said: "It was an unbelievable day when I won my first race at Glorious Goodwood on Landaman. It was for Mr (Mark) Johnston as well which was also a big help.

"The raw talent on show with the horses and jockeys makes it one of the best meetings and the atmosphere on top of that is unbelievable. I rode another winner as well later in the week, so that was brilliant.

"You need a lot of luck in running, especially over the longer trips, because if you don't get that you are simply not going to win. Goodwood is very difficult to ride compared to other courses because you are constantly switching and changing. You need a horse that can carry you into the race and they have to handle the track as well.

"I enjoy the challenge of riding around there and I would say it is my favourite track for obvious reasons. I like the big handicaps at Glorious Goodwood because it is very competitive and just a thrill to get a ride.

"It was good last year because I was claiming five when Glorious Goodwood was on and I had proved earlier in the year that I could ride there so I picked up some nice rides. Hopefully, I can pick up some more rides this year while I'm still claiming three.

"I was very surprised how well things went last year. The intention was just to ride a few winners, get my name out there and lay a foundation. The support I got from trainers was tremendous but, because I was off so long after I broke my collarbone, it has taken a while to pick up this year. It's starting to get going again now so it's all good.

"Ideally, I would like to have another go at the apprentice title but we will just have to see."

Egan's second Glorious Goodwood success came when he teamed up with local trainer William Knight, recording a neck verdict on Aussie Reigns in the Telegraph Nursery on August 3.

Knight has enjoyed some of the biggest days of his training career at Goodwood and sent out course specialist Illustrious Blue to land the Artemis Goodwood Cup at Glorious Goodwood in 2010.

The Angmering Park handler now trains for the  Goodwood Racehorse Owners Group following John Dunlop's retirement at the end of last season and is looking forward to this year at the world's most beautiful racecourse.

Knight said: "We always like to have runners at Goodwood and we will definitely be trying to get a team there for the meetings throughout the year.

"It is one of my local tracks and on a nice sunny summer's evening, it is one of the most picturesque racecourses in the country. They look after trainers well and there is a nice enclosure for the owners and a lot of mine are quite local so they enjoy having runners there.

"You need to have the right type of horse for Goodwood because the course is quite undulating.

"Horses learn a lot and it's a lovely track. Hopefully, for Glorious Goodwood we will be able to put together a good team.

"I train for the Goodwood Racehorse Owners Group and they are a good bunch of owners to have in the yard. They have been very lucky with their horses and we have a nice three-year-old called Goodwood Mirage, who won his only start at Newmarket last year. He will be out soon.

"They had a stable tour at the yard about three weeks ago and that went well so hopefully we will have some runners for them at Goodwood in the future.

"I would have thought we will have out first runners at the course next month in some of the maidens and handicaps."

Opening Saturday is the first of 19 scheduled racedays at Goodwood in 2013 with the highlights being the three-day May Festival (Thursday, May 23 to Saturday, May 25) and the five days of Glorious Goodwood (Tuesday, July 30 to Saturday, August 3), which features 13 Group contests and two heritage handicaps. Prize money across the season has increased by 12 per cent, compared to 2012, with over £3,600,000 being offered in total.

RUNAWAY AINTREE WINNER UBAK TO BE SUPPLEMENTED

Trainer Gary Moore today revealed that his outstanding Aintree winner Ubak is set to be supplemented for the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle on Friday, April 26, at next week's Punchestown Festival.

 

The five-year-old was a brilliant 16-length winner of the Grade 2 Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree on April 6 and Moore is looking forward to running in Ireland.

The 8,000 euros supplementary entry stage for the two and a half mile €80,000 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle is on Monday, April 22.

"Ubak could well be supplemented for the two and a half miles novice hurdle at Punchestown next week," said Moore.

"He came out of Aintree with quite a bad cut on a joint, which has been scanned, but it is fine and all good now. He has been cantering for the last three days so it's onwards and upwards at the moment.

"I didn't think he was capable of a performance like that at Aintree but I do wonder how good the rest were. I don't think it was the strongest race and I thought a lot of the horses underachieved in it but - don't get me wrong - I think Ubak is a very nice horse."

The lightly-raced French-bred had previously finished seventh of eight behind The New One at Cheltenham but Moore felt his charge was unsuited by the way the race was run.

"There was no pace at Cheltenham and I thought he was always doing a bit too much in front so we decided to drop him in at Aintree. After that, there is no doubt he is a better horse when dropped in," added Moore.

"He is an exciting prospect for novice chasing next season. That's why I don't want to spoil him, because he will come into his own over the next two seasons."

SWEENEY AND MANGAN BOTH HOPEFUL IN RACING POST CHAMPION HUNTERS' CHASE REMATCH

Connections of Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase winner Salsify and Oscar Delta, who looked to have the race at his mercy when unshipping his rider on the run-in, have confirmed the pair are on course for a rematch in the Racing Post Champion Hunters Chase at Punchestown next week.

In a dramatic incident some compared to Devon Loch's fall in the 1956 Grand National, Jane Mangan was unseated by leader Oscar Delta when her mount jinked after the last at Cheltenham.

Salsify won the Punchestown contest in 2011 and trainer Rodger Sweeney is hopeful the eight-year-old can crown his season next Friday, April 26, in the Racing Post Champion Hunters Chase.

"Salsify is well and will run in the Racing Post Champion Hunters Chase providing the ground is nice," said Sweeney.

"It's hard to know what would have happened at Cheltenham. He is a very tough horse and the way it looked, he seemed to be gaining but we will never know what would have happened. You have to pass that red and white lollipop in front to win.

"We beat Oscar Delta last year at Cheltenham so I have no problem taking him on again."

But trainer Jimmy Mangan, who is based around five miles from Sweeney in County Cork and is father of Jane, is equally confident that his charge will come out on top this time with the help of some rain.

"Oscar Delta has been in great form since Cheltenham and is an intended runner in the Racing Post Champion Hunters' Chase," said Mangan.

"He had the race won at Cheltenham and although Colman (Sweeney, rider of Salsify) said he was gaining on Oscar Delta, he knows deep down he wasn't going to catch him and he told me that.

"We are looking forward to taking him on again but it will be a different race. If the weather forecast is right and the ground is soft, that's the only hope I have because I won't beat Salsify on fast ground.

"I couldn't account for Oscar Delta's run (when well beaten) behind Salsify at Leopardstown in February. Although they call the ground soft at Leopardstown, it's a fast soft and maybe that didn't suit. I beat Salsify at Fairyhouse last year so this could be the decider as they say."

SOLWHIT CONNECTIONS KEEN TO TAKE ON QUEVEGA

Another of next week's great matches promises to be when Solwhit, a Grade 1 winner at Cheltenham and Aintree, takes on the brilliant mare Quevega in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle on Thursday, April 25.

Solwhit won the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree having previously captured the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham and is currently Evens favourite with Ladbrokes for the three-mile contest ahead of Quevega, a 13/8 chance.

"As long as he is 100 per cent, I am looking forward to taking on Quevega in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle and it looks like it is going to be a really good race," said trainer Charles Byrnes.

"I will leave a definite decision until the weekend because he only ran at Aintree two weeks ago.

"He didn't come out of the race at Aintree as well as he did at Cheltenham which surprised me. The initial intention was not to run at Aintree and wait for Punchestown  but he came out of Cheltenham so well, we decided to go.

"He had such an easy race in Aintree, we thought he would come out of it bubbling but he's a bit flat and we will just wait for him to come alive. I am pretty hopeful that he will be OK by the weekend.

"Although he won easily at Aintree, I don't think it was a better performance than at Cheltenham. The fourth horse at Aintree was only rated 138 and there was nothing like Quevega in the race."

What promises to be a fabulous 2013 Irish National Hunt Festival at Punchestown takes place from Tuesday, April 23, to Saturday, April 27, and features €2.2 million in prize money.

 

MARES TO THE FORE ON DAY TWO OF THE APRIL MEETING

- TOM SYMONDS AIMING FOR LISTED GLORY

The April Meeting at Cheltenham concludes tomorrow (April 18) with a cracking eight-race card in which three Listed contests for mares take centre stage.

Herefordshire-based trainer Tom Symonds, a former assistant to Nicky Henderson, is set to have four runners across the card, with three of those in Listed company.

 

Valmari is one of eight runners in the £25,000 Listed European Breeders' Fund/Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase (2.35pm) over two miles and five furlongs, which was transferred to Cheltenham following the abandonment of Newbury on March 23. The 10-year-old has been in the winner's enclosure twice this season, with victories at Uttoxeter and Ludlow, and was still in front when falling four out in a Grade Two contest at Newbury in November which was won by the high-class Dynaste.

Symonds said: "On engine alone, I would expect Valmari to figure highly tomorrow but she does make the odd jumping error.

"She is a talented mare when she stands up, as you saw at Newbury - she was leading a good field a merry dance before deciding to eat the turf.

"She has had a little break which will help her because she goes well fresh and she seems very well at home, which is a good sign. It's a big ask but she is an older mare now so if she can jump round and get a bit of black type, it would help her a lot going forward in her career as a broodmare."

Also set to line up in the European Breeders' Fund/Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase are the Harry Fry-trained Violin Davis, successful on her last four starts, and Irish Grade Three winner Great Oak, who is set to have her first outing for Welsh trainer Tim Vaughan. Dorset handler Anthony Honeyball is doubly represented with Marie Des Anges, a winner on her last two starts and Jackies Solitaire.

Symonds saddles two of the 16 runners in the £20,000 Listed OLBG.com Mares' Handicap Hurdle (3.10pm) over an extended two miles and five furlongs - Tweedledrum and Scholastica. Tweedledrum has enjoyed a fine season with three wins, most recently in a Listed event at Doncaster on March 2, while Scholastica scored at Uttoxeter in November and picked up some black type when third in a Listed contest at Haydock Park the following month.

Symonds continued: "Tweedledrum is very well. She has had a great year and anything she does is a bonus now.

"The drying ground is a bit of a concern but she handled it well enough at Haydock when the trip was too short. I think the track and trip will suit her tomorrow.

"We will ride her out the back like we normally do and hopefully come through and do them all on the line. I think the change of tactics is one of the reasons she has improved this season along with our new gallop and the step up in trip.

"The mares' final at Newbury was the plan for Scholastica but that was moved to Kempton yesterday, which is not really like Newbury. Looking at the way the race was run on that good ground, I didn't think Kempton would suit her.

"Going left handed over a stiff two miles, five and half furlongs will really suit her and she is quite unexposed.

"She is very talented and, touch wood, jumps very well. I have been looking forward to running her in a handicap and I am very happy with her weight (10st 6lb) tomorrow."

Action gets underway tomorrow at 2.00pm with the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Mares' Novices' Hurdle over two miles and a furlong, for which there are eight declared runners. These include a pair from the stable of champion trainer elect Nicky Henderson - Ma Filleule, a Grade Two winner at Warwick in February and Springinherstep, who landed a novices' contest at Huntingdon on April 1 in facile fashion.

Several Cheltenham regulars line up in the £20,000 Goldsmiths Handicap Chase (3.45pm) over an extended three miles and a furlong. Weights for the 12-runner contest are headed by Midnight Chase, a five-time Cheltenham scorer, who enjoyed his finest hour when successful in the 2012 renewal of the Grade Two Argento Chase over the same distance. Two progressive younger performers set to line up - Cedre Bleu for the Paul Nicholls/Ruby Walsh team and What A Warrior for Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies.

The remaining races on the card are the Barbury International Horse Trials Handicap Hurdle (4.20pm, 20 declarations), the Sporting Agenda Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase (4.55pm, eight declarations), the Endsleigh Insurance Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (5.25pm, 19 declarations) and the concluding Nicholson Holman Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (6.00pm, 10 declarations).

The April Meeting gets underway today, Wednesday, April 17, with a superb seven-race programme.

Cheltenham's season will conclude on Wednesday, May 1, with the Hunter Chase Evening.

The going at Cheltenham is currently Good to Soft, Good in places.

HONEYBALL TRIO ON COURSE FOR CHELTENHAM LISTED CONTESTS

Meeting: The April Meeting

Date: Wednesday, April 17 & Thursday, April 18, 2013

Gates Open: 12 noon

First Race: 2.10pm Wednesday, 2pm Thursday

Admission prices from £9. Go to www.cheltenham.co.ukfor further information

Trainer Anthony Honeyball will be doubly represented by Maries Des Anges and Jackies Solitaire in the £25,000 Listed EBF/Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Mares' Novices' Chase Finale (2.35pm, 10 entries) at Cheltenham on the second day of The April Meeting, Thursday, April 18.

The two mile, five furlong handicap has been transferred to Cheltenham following the abandonment of Newbury on March 23.

Marie Des Anges (10st 4lb) gained her third win of the season over fences when staying on gamely to land a novices' handicap chase at Newbury on March 2, while Jackies Solitaire (11st 7lb) disappointed when pulled up in a valuable novices' handicap chase at Ascot on April 7, having been an impressive 35-length victor at Warwick on March 10.

Honeyball said: "Marie Des Anges is bursting for a run. She was ready to run originally at Newbury four weeks ago and we could have run her in between but I thought we should try and protect her mark as it looked from an early stage that they were going to try and get this race on again.

"She is in good order though and the owners are keen to get some black type for her, which will be really good to have.

"She has been really fortunate because she has only gone up five pounds for three wins over fences, so we are not complaining about that.

"She is not that big but she is very athletic and has a real good eye for the job. Although she has a bit of height, she is a spindly French-bred mare and she has to use every bit of scope she's got to jump.

"The owners were a bit concerned about going over fences but she schooled really well in the indoor school one day and she has proved us right this season.

"This is her little Gold Cup and if she runs to the form of her Newbury win, she will be bang there.

"Jackies Solitaire will definitely run providing the next couple of days go all right. You just have to put a line through that Ascot run. She had won very easily at Warwick and I thought she had a little squeak at Ascot but she was struggling from about the second fence and the ground was probably a bit too quick for her.

"It knocked her confidence a little bit as well but she loves her jumping and hopefully she will be able to get into a nice rhythm back in a slower run race."

Violin Davis, a Grade Two scorer over hurdles last season for Paul Nicholls, tops the weights (11st 10lb) after winning four of her five starts over fences for new handler Harry Fry. Other possible starters include Grade Two Towton Novices' Chase third Fentara and Jamie Snowden's Ixora.

Honeyball is also planning to saddle high-class bumper performer Eleven Fifty Nine in the £20,000 Listed OLBG Mares' Handicap Hurdle (3.10pm, 34 entries).

The seven-year-old recorded a cosy length and a half success in the Listed John Smith's Mares' Bumper at Aintree's Grand National meeting last season and registered her first win over hurdles on her most recent start at Doncaster on January 9.

She had previously chased home Alan King's Call Me A Star on her hurdling debut at Uttoxeter in November before a respectable fourth-placed finish behind the classy She Ranks Me in a Listed event at Newbury in December.

Honeyball continued: "Eleven Fifty Nine is in both Listed Hurdles at Cheltenham (also in TBA Mares' Novices' Hurdle) but she will go for the OLBG Mares' Handicap Hurdle over an extended two miles and five furlongs.

"Although she won at Doncaster, at first I was quite disappointed but looking back she jumped quite nicely and got the job done.

"We were then looking to crack on and get another run into her about four weeks later and then put her away for this race, but she has had loads of niggly problems. Initially, she was a bit snotty and then she banged a leg so the fact the race has been rearranged has worked out for the best because she is going to get her ground.

"She was beaten half a length by At Fishers Cross in a Ffos Las bumper in soft/heavy ground so she can perform to a high level on that surface but we have always thought she preferred better ground.

"On her bumper form you would say she is quite nicely handicapped on 125 and, with the way things have worked out, her rating is based on performances over two miles.  She is never a two miler and we think she is more of a three miler so it's looks like a cunning plot in some ways, but it isn't and that's just how things have ended up."

Other notable contenders for the race over two miles, five and a half furlongs include impressive Ludlow winner Mickie from the stable of Henry Daly, Lucy Wadham's classy Baby Shine and the Sheena West-trained Hi Note.

The third Listed contest on a fantastic eight-race card at Cheltenham on Thursday, April 18, is the £20,000 Listed Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Mares' Novices' Hurdle (2.00pm) over two miles and a furlong. The 16 entries are headlined by Nicky Henderson's Ma Filleule, a Grade Two winner at Warwick in February.

There are eight races on Thursday, with the final one, the Nicholson Holman Novices' Handicap Chase, due off at 6.00pm.

The April Meeting gets underway with a seven-race card on Wednesday, April 17, headlined by the £50,000 Grade Two Macmillan Cancer Support Silver Trophy Chase (3.55pm, 21 entries) over two miles and five furlongs.

GOING

The going at Cheltenham is currently:

Good to Soft

There was four millimetres of rain over the weekend.

The forecast is for the conditions to remain mild with showers.

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TRAINER ALAN BAILEY COULD HAVE FIRST RUNNER IN INVESTEC DERBY

The British Flat season steps up a gear this week with plenty of Classic clues on display in the trials taking place at Newmarket and Newbury.

King George River, formerly trained by Irish champion Aidan O'Brien, will have his first start on turf for Newmarket handler Alan Bailey in the Listed ebm-papst Feilden Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket tomorrow, April 17, before a potential tilt at the Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 1.

 

The three-year-old son of Danehill Dancer scored impressively on his debut from Sugar Boy at Gowran Park in July last year but, after trailing home last behind Investec Derby hopeful First Cornerstone in a Listed contest at Tipperary the following month, he was sold to current owner John Stocker for 34,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale in October.

Since joining Bailey, King George River has finished in the first three in five starts on Polytrack at Lingfield and Wolverhampton, and his form figures have done nothing but improve.

The colt has won his last two races and, most recently, was a decisive two and a half length winner of an extended nine-furlong handicap at the latter course on March 7.

Connections paid £8,000 to enter King George River for the Investec Derby at last week's second entry stage for the premier Classic, worth at least £1.325 million and run over a mile and a half at Epsom Downs on the second day of the Investec Derby Festival.

Bailey said: "King George River has got some improving to do before we look at the Investec Derby but if he proves he is good enough, we will consider it.

"He is in good form at the moment and he runs tomorrow at Newmarket. Hopefully, he will run well but I would like to see some cut in the ground. I think that's what he wants but just as long as there is no jar in it, it will be fine.

"We have been running him on the all-weather because he is a big baby of a horse. We want to get the experience into him and he seems to be improving with every run.

"We will have to see how he gets on and comes out of the Feilden before we think about another trial but a step up to a mile and a half is what he wants."

King George River, with Ryan Moore in the saddle for the first time, takes on six rivals tomorrow and another one of the record 17 second entries for the Investec Derby was Glory Awaits, trained by Kevin Ryan in North Yorkshire.

Glory Awaits makes his seasonal debut in the Feilden Stakes and improved from winning a Haydock maiden to finishing fourth in the Group Three Autumn Stakes at Newmarket in October.

Another Investec Derby entry in tomorrow's race is the Andrew Balding-trained lightly-raced Race And Status, who scored stylishly on his debut at Newbury in September before finishing third behind Ghurair in a valuable sales race, also over seven furlongs, at Newmarket the following month.

Filly Alta Lilea, trained by Mark Johnston in Yorkshire, also has an Epsom Downs Classic entry, but in the Investec Oaks which takes place on Investec Ladies' Day, the first day of the Investec Derby Festival, Friday, May 31.

The Galileo filly, an easy winner of a Leicester seven-furlong maiden in October, finished third in a Listed race over an extra furlong at Nantes in France on her only other start.

Day one of Newmarket's Craven Meeting tomorrow includes a potentially informative 10-furlong maiden in which five Investec Derby aspirants are declared to run.

The most notable are the Sir Henry Cecil-trained pair, Demonic and Frankel's Oasis Dream half-brother Morpheus. Demonic finished fourth only his only start in a Lingfield Polytrack maiden on November 28 while Morpheus shaped with some promise when seventh on his debut at Nottingham in October and was added to the Investec Derby at the second entry stage last week.

The other Investec Derby entries in the Newmarket race are the unraced Battalion (trained by William Haggas), Improvisation (Mahmood Al Zarooni) and Tinghir (David Lanigan).

Toronado, unbeaten in three starts, is a 14/1 shot with Coral, the official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival, for the Investec Derby. He will put his Classic credentials on the line in the Group Three Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes over a mile at Newmarket on Thursday, April 18. Richard Hannon's colt will clash with stablemate Havana Gold and Group Three winners Dundonnell and Tawhid.

Thursday's card at Newmarket also features the £200,000 Tattersalls  Millions 3-Y-O Trophy and the 16 runners include Kempton Park maiden scorer Greatwood, who is a 40/1 chance with Coral for the Investec Derby.

One horse who may have already booked his Investec Derby ticket is the Aidan O'Brien-trained Battle Of Marengo (10/1 with Coral), who emulated his sire Galileo (successful in the 2001 Derby) by taking the Group Three Ballysax Stakes over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown on April 14. He beat Sugar Boy by a length and three quarters.

The Investec Derby Festival commences with a fantastic seven-race card on Investec Ladies' Day, Friday, May 31, when the fillies' Classic, the Investec Oaks, worth £400,000, is the highlight.

As well as the Investec Derby, Saturday, June 1, also features the Group One Investec Coronation Cup, one of the highlights of the year for older horses. Prize money for the mile and a half contest has increased from £300,000 to £350,000 this year.

INVESTEC DERBY FESTIVAL - LATEST CORAL ODDS

Investec Derby: 5/1 Telescope, 6/1 Mars, 8/1 Dawn Approach, Kingsbarns, 10/1 Battle Of Marengo, 14/1 Toronado, 16/1 Ocovango, Foundry, 20/1 Trading Leather, Rule Of The World, Secret Number, Zand, 25/1 Steeler, Van Der Neer, Indian Chief, Hillstar, Leading Light, Pedro The Great, Sardinia, Sir Walter Scott, Victory Song, Tarikhi, 33/1 bar

Investec Oaks: 6/1 Liber Nauticus, 10/1 Certify, 16/1 Moth, 20/1 Half Moon, Lady Nouf, Just The Judge, Our Obsession, Secret Gesture, Tarana, Hot Snap, Rasmeyaa, Shuruq, 25/1 bar