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The 234th running of the Investec Derby, the most
famous Classic of all, has 15 contenders going forward after today's
£75,000 supplementary entry and five-day confirmation stages.
 Chopin,
as expected, was supplemented this morning and the Andreas Wohler-trained
three-year-old colt will become the first German runner if lining up on
Saturday. He is a 9/1 chance with Coral, official betting partner of the
Investec Derby Festival,
The winner of Britain's richest race of the year
(£1,379,500) will emerge shortly after 4pm on June 1, before a huge crowd
at Epsom Downs Racecourse.
Unbeaten Dawn Approach, trained by Jim Bolger
(successful in the Investec Derby with the colt's sire New Approach in
2008) in Ireland and running in the Godolphin colours, is the strong
favourite at 10/11 with Coral for the 2013 Investec Derby but there are
plenty of likely challengers.
The most interesting is Magician (9/2), the
impressive winner of the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas over a mile on
Saturday (May 25) at the Curragh.
Two winners of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, founded in
1921, have gone on to win the Derby - Grundy in 1975 and Santa Claus in
1964.
The most recent attempt to capture both Classics came
in 2005 when Dubawi, owned by Godolphin and trained by Saeed bin Suroor,
finished third to Motivator at Epsom Downs.
Aidan O'Brien, who trains Magician, tried for the
double with Saffron Walden in 1999 but the three-year-old colt could only
finish seventh to Oath in the Derby.
All the above happened when there was at least a
14-day gap between the two Classics, whereas this year there is only
seven days.
As well as Magician, O'Brien has five more colts in
the Investec Derby, which he has won three times - with Camelot (2012),
High Chaparral (2002) and Galileo (2001).
They are Battle Of Marengo (9/2), winner of his
last five races, Festive Cheer (33/1), Flying The Flag
(40/1), QIPCO 2000 Guineas sixth Mars (12/1) and the unbeaten Ruler
Of The World (9/1).
Andre Fabre sent out Pour Moi to win the Investec
Derby two years ago and France's 24-time champion trainer is hoping Ocovango
(7/1), successful on all three of his starts, can emulate that victory.
Betfred Dante winner Libertarian (16/1), who
would be the first Derby winner trained in the North of England since
Dante in 1945 if successful, is the main British-trained hope. He is
trained by Elaine Burke at Middleham in Yorkshire.
Bolger, responsible for Dawn Approach who was the
impressive winner of the first British colts' Classic, the QIPCO 2000
Guineas, has also left Trading Leather (40/1)- third to Magician
on Saturday - in the Investec Derby.
Bolger said this afternoon: "Trading Leather has
been left in the Investec Derby as a precaution. If anything were to
happen to Dawn Approach, I would run Trading Leather.
"Dawn Approach is continuing to please me and I
am looking forward to running him in the Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on
Saturday.
"I thought Magician's performance on Saturday was
very smart."
The two other potential Irish challengers are the
David Wachman-trained Galileo Rock (40/1) and the Andy
Oliver-trained First Cornerstone (80/1).
Mirsaale
(80/1) is the only course winner among the Investec Derby hopefuls, with
the James Tate-trained colt winning the Investec Derby Trial over 10
furlongs on April 24.
Ocean Applause
(500/1) is the outsider of the likely Investec Derby field after three
unplaced efforts this year for trainer John Ryan.
Coral's David Stevens commented: "Dawn Approach
remains odds-on favourite for the Investec Derby, but his closest
challenger in the betting could turn out to be a fellow 2,000 Guineas
winner in Magician, and if the latter makes a quick reappearance on
Saturday, Joseph O'Brien's decision on who he rides could well determine
whether Magician or Battle Of Marengo starts clear second favourite to
the Godolphin colt."
Investec Derby - Coral: Official Betting Partner
10/11 Dawn Approach, 9/2 Battle Of Marengo, Magician,
7 Ocovango, 9 Chopin, Ruler Of The World, 12 Mars, 16 Libertarian, 33
Festive Cheer, 40 Flying The Flag, Galileo Rock, Trading Leather, 80
First Cornerstone, Mirsaale, 500 Ocean Applause - non-runner no bet
INVESTEC CORONATION CUP
The Investec Coronation Cup (2.40pm)is the other Group
One race staged at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 1 and St Nicholas
Abbey, trained by O'Brien, is going for an unprecedented third
success in the £350,000 race. He could have up to six opponents over the
Derby distance of a mile, four furlongs and 10 yards.
Investec Coronation Cup - Coral: Official Betting Partner
1/2 St Nicholas Abbey, 7/2 Dunaden, 8 Dandino, 10
Joshua Tree, 33 Chamonix, 50 Ernest Hemingway, 100 Chapter Seven -
non-runner no bet
INVESTEC SPECIALIST BANK 'DASH'
Epsom Downs has the fastest five-furlong course in the
world and the £100,000 Investec Specialist Bank 'Dash' (3.15pm) over that
distance is the race before the Investec Derby.
Always very competitive, there are 42 horses going
forward for the valuable sprint handicap.
Investec Dash - Coral: Official Betting Partner
7 Duke Of Firenze, 10 Ajjaadd, Captain Dunne,
Smoothtalkinrascal, Stone Of Folca, 12 Humidor, Judge 'n Jury, Long
Awaited, Normal Equilibrium, 14 Confessional, La Fortunata, Mister
Manannan, 20 Ballesteros, Cheworee, Crew Cut, Dinkum Diamond, Doctor
Parkes, Fair Value, Fitz Flyer, Swiss Cross, Last Sovereign, Top Cop, 25
bar - non-runner no bet
INVESTEC LADIES' DAY ON FRIDAY
The two-day Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs
starts on Friday, May 31, Investec Ladies' Day, and the highlight is the
fillies' Classic, the Investec Oaks.
Investec Oaks - Coral: Official Betting Partner
5/2 Secret Gesture, 3 Moth, 10/3 Liber Nauticus, 8
Banoffee, 10 Say, 14 Talent, 20 Snow Queen, Madame Defarge, 33 Gertrude
Versed, The Lark, 50 Roz, 66 Miss You Too - non-runner no bet
THE GOING IS NOW GOOD, GOOD TO FIRM IN PLACES BUT RAIN
FORECAST TOMORROW
The going at Epsom Downs Racecourse changed at 8am to
Good, Good to Firm in places.
Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course
at Epsom Downs, said: "The going has been given today as Good, Good
to Firm in places as a result of a third consecutive dry and breezy day
in a row.
"There is rain forecast for tomorrow (Tuesday)
but the exact amount we will see is hard to predict - most forecasts
suggest at least six millimetres. It would not take much rain to bring
the going description back to good.
"Unsettled weather is forecast for Wednesday,
with drier conditions prevailing for the Investec Derby Festival on
Friday and Saturday.
"The 2013 Investec Derby is an intriguing
Classic, with a very strong Irish challenge, while the French and German
runners are fascinating and the home challenge is limited to three."
THE INVESTEC DERBY
Class 1, Group 1, £1,379,500 Total Prize Fund, 4.00pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday, June 1, 2013. For
three-year-olds only, entire colts & fillies, one mile, four furlongs
and 10 yards. Entries closed December 6, 2011 (442 entries). First scratchings
deadline noon, March 5, 2013 (111 remained), £8,000 secondary entry stage
noon, April 9, 2013 (17 second entries received), second scratchings
deadline noon, May 17, 2013 (24 remained), £75,000 supplementary entry
& five-day confirmation stage, noon, May 27, 2013, (13 confirmed
& 1 supplementary entry - Chopin) final declaration stage 10am,
May 30, 2013. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to
and including the racing of Sunday, May 26, 2013. May not include some
overseas form.
Form
Horse
Owner
Trainer
3111-11 BATTLE OF MARENGO (IRE) Michael Tabor,
Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
211 CHOPIN (GER)* Qatar Racing Limited
Andreas Wohler GER
111111-1 DAWN APPROACH (IRE) Godolphin Jim
Bolger IRE
5(1)-3 FESTIVE CHEER (FR) Michael Tabor,
Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
3114-5 FIRST CORNERSTONE Team Valor
International LLC Andy Oliver IRE
120-06 FLYING THE FLAG (IRE) John Magnier,
Derrick Smith & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
15-3 GALILEO ROCK (IRE) Michael O'Flynn David
Wachman IRE
141 LIBERTARIAN Hubert Strecker Elaine Burke
0(2)10-11 MAGICIAN (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick
Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
(1)-6 MARS (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith
& Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
5130-1 MIRSAALE Saif Ali James Tate
4(6)(4)-0(0)0 OCEAN APPLAUSE Bill McLuskey John
Ryan
1-11 OCOVANGO Prince A A Faisal Andre Fabre FR
11 RULER OF THE WORLD (IRE) Sue Magnier,
Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
2115-23 TRADING LEATHER (IRE) Jackie Bolger Jim
Bolger IRE
15 go forward including *1 supplementary entry, 10 Irish-trained, 1 French-trained,
1 German-trained
Taken out today
BRAVODINO (USA),
ETERNAL RAY (IRE), GOLD MEDAL (IRE), JAMMY GUEST (IRE), NEVIS (IRE),
QAHIR, SUPERPLEX (FR), TELESCOPE (IRE), TINGHIR (IRE), ZAND
(IRE).
THE INVESTEC CORONATION CUP
Class 1, Group 1, £350,000 Total Prize Fund. 2.40pm, Saturday, June 1, 2013. For 4yo+, 1m 4f
10yds. Weights: colts & geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Entries
closed April 3, entries revealed April 4 (35 entries), scratchings
deadline May 14 (12 remained), six-day confirmation & £25,000 supplementary
entry stage May 27, (7 remain) final declaration stage 10.00am, May 30.
Form figures correct up to and including Sunday, May 26. May not include
some overseas form.
Form
Horse Age
Owner
Trainer
61114- CHAMONIX (IRE) 4 Sue Magnier, Michael
Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
201(6)-63 CHAPTER SEVEN 4 Pearl Bloodstock Ltd
Stuart Williams
72(1)27-2 DANDINO 6 Australian Thoroughbred
Bloodstock Marco Botti
26105-43 DUNADEN 7 Pearl Bloodstock Ltd Mikel Delzangles FR
(1)00(2)-4 ERNEST HEMINGWAY (IRE) 4 Sue
Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
421310-6 JOSHUA TREE (IRE) 6 K K Al Nabooda
& K Albahou Ed Dunlop
33303-1 ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE) 6 Derrick
Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
7 entries remain, 3 Irish-trained 1 French-trained
TAKEN OUT TODAY
EL SALVADOR (IRE), IMPERIAL MONARCH (IRE), MAIN SEQUENCE (USA),
SIR GRAHAM WADE (IRE), VERY NICE NAME (FR).
or follow us on Twitter @Investec
ROAD TO
THE DERBY
For more
information visit the Road to the Derby micro-site, www.theroadtothederby.co.uk which features interactive areas for users to
chat, discuss and debate the latest news and views on the Investec Derby
Festival and the Derby Trials. In addition up to date announcements and
video footage will be available, including footage of the key Derby
Trials. The site aims to deliver a narrative for the Investec Derby
Festival throughout the Flat season and follow the two year old activity
leading up to the following year's renewal of the Greatest Flat Race in
the World.
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