[an error occurred while processing this directive] epsom derby 2011 /

Weights for Investec Entrepreneurial Class Dash Unveiled
12/05/11

The countdown to the 2011 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs continues with the unveiling of the weights for the £75,000 Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’. Run over the fastest five furlongs in the world, the competitive sprint handicap takes place at 3.15pm on Investec Derby Day, Saturday, June 4, and provides the perfect aperitif to the main event.

Godolphin’s Ahtoug (8st 8lb)
© Racehorse Photos

The joint top-weight and current 11/1 favourite with William Hill, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival, is Captain Dunne (9st 10lb). Trained by Tim Easterby, the six-year-old is a real five-furlong specialist, having won six times at the minimum trip, while he was also placed at Listed level in 2010. He finished a short-head second in the 2009 renewal of the ‘Dash’, getting caught in the last stride by Indian Trail (8st 1lb), but ruined his chance last year when slowly away. His latest outing at Chester saw him go down by a length in a competitive handicap on May 4.

Judge ‘n Jury (8st 10lb, 25/1 with William Hill ) is likely to head to Epsom Downs on June 4, having finished a close fourth in the ‘Dash’ last season. The Ron Harris-trained seven-year-old is an eight-time winner over five furlongs and ran with credit in the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp last season when beaten just over five lengths.

Harris revealed: “The plan is for Judge ‘n Jury to head to Epsom. I have declared him to run at York on Thursday but I am just hoping that the going is not too fast as he definitely wants a bit of cut in the ground.

“A few of the entries for the Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ are running at York as well, so hopefully Thursday will be a good guide as to where we stand.

“He amazed me by running so well in the Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ last year because of the good to firm ground and he was a little jarred up afterwards. I’m hoping that we can get a couple more runs into him beforehand this year just to get him spot on.

“The ground was too fast for him on his seasonal return at Goodwood and he got a little unbalanced during the race after receiving a bump. The saddle slipped as well, so it’s best to put a line through that run.

“He ended last season in Group One company and, if you look back two seasons ago, he was the handicapper of the year. He is now racing back on a mark of 91, which is 8lb lower than when he was fourth at Epsom last season, and I think that he is the best handicapped horse in my yard at the moment.”

Falasteen
© Racehorse Photos

William Hill have four horses currently on the 12/1 mark including Godolphin’s Ahtoug (8st 8lb), a winner over the same distance at Chester last week, dual course winner Falasteen (8st 11lb), Masamah (9st 5lb), a winner in Listed company at Chester in 2010 and Our Jonathan (8st 13lb), a high-class two-year-old in 2009 who showed signs of a return to form when third on his seasonal return at Doncaster in April.

Falasteen is trained by sprint king Dandy Nicholls, who has landed the Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ on five previous occasions, making him the most successful trainer in the contest. This year, Nicholls could also be represented by Masta Plasta (9st 1lb), who finished fifth in 2010, Fathom Five (8st 10lb), successful over the course and distance in April last year, Crimea (8st 5lb), Strike up The Band (8st 3lb) and Indian Trail (8st 1lb).

Another trainer with a good record in the ‘Dash’ is Newmarket-based Stuart Williams, who scored last year with Bertoliver and with Hogmaneigh in 2007. Bertoliver (8st 2lb) is entered once again this year but has finished well down the field on his two starts so far this season.

Jointly heading the weights alongside Captain Dunne on 9st 10lb is Group Therapy, runner-up in a Group Two contest at Goodwood last season, while other leading contenders include Beat The Bell (8st 9lb), second to Falasteen over the course and distance on April 20, and Dubai Media (8st 5lb), who shaped well on her seasonal reappearance in a Listed contest at Nottingham on May 7.

Latest odds from William Hill : 11/1 Captain Dunne; 12/1 Ahtoug, Falasteen, Masamah, Our Jonathan; 14/1 Beat The Bell, Dubai Media, Fathom Five; 16/1 Bertoliver, Confessional, Crimea, Group Therapy, Indian Trail, Jamesway, Oldjoesaid, Perfect Blossom; 20/1 Favourite Girl, Moorhouse Lad, Take Ten; 25/1 Arctic Feeling, Brynfa Boy, Duchess Dora, Fitz Flyer, Johannes, Judge 'n Jury, Kanaf, La Fortunata, Le Toreador, Marine Commando, Masta Plasta, Racy, Secret Millionaire, Sohraab, Strike Up The Band; 33/1 Drawnfromthepast, Matsunosuke; 100/1 Estonia
1/4 Odds Place 1, 2, 3, 4

THE INVESTEC ENTREPRENEURIAL CLASS ‘DASH’

Class 2, Handicap, £75,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.15pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday, June 4, 2011. For three-year-olds and upwards, 5f. Highest weight not less then 9st 10lb; minimum weight 7st 12lb. Penalties: after May 7, a winner 4lb; a winner of 2 or more races 7lb. Entries closed May 3, entries revealed May 4 (37 entries). Weights revealed, Wednesday, May 11. Scratchings deadline May 17, five-day confirmation stage May 30, final declaration stage 10.00am, Thursday, June 2. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, May 9.

Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer

12230-0 GROUP THERAPY 6-9-10 Pearl Bloodstock Ltd David Barron

342(1)-62 CAPTAIN DUNNE (IRE) 6-9-10 Middleham Park Racing XV & Partners Tim Easterby

11000-3 MASAMAH (IRE) 5-9-05 Dr Marwan Koukash Kevin Ryan

440(5)(1)(1)- TAKE TEN 4-9-01 Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

10(4)-0(0)6 MASTA PLASTA (IRE) 8-9-01 David Nicholls David Nicholls

16016-0 ARCTIC FEELING (IRE) 3-9-00 Percy / Green Racing 2 Richard Fahey

0030-00 JOHANNES (IRE) 8-8-13 John Nicholls Ltd/David Kilburn Richard Fahey

30(1)(1)3-0 DRAWNFROMTHEPAST (IRE) 6-8-13 B Greenwood & T Walker Ed Walker

00500-3 OUR JONATHAN 4-8-13 Dr Marwan Koukash Kevin Ryan

0600-00 MOORHOUSE LAD 8-8-12 Ron Hull Bryan Smart

(0)(5)2016 FALASTEEN (IRE) 4-8-11 Dr Marwan Koukash David Nicholls

1160-0 MARINE COMMANDO 3-8-11 M Wynne Richard Fahey

446(4)-03 FITZ FLYER (IRE) 5-8-11 Ron Hull Bryan Smart

06020-4 FAVOURITE GIRL (IRE) 5-8-10 Peter Bourke Tim Easterby

00534-0 FATHOM FIVE (IRE) 7-8-10 Tim Palin David Nicholls

111110- PERFECT BLOSSOM 4-8-10 Ann Morris Kevin Ryan

0100-44 CONFESSIONAL 4-8-10 Terry & Margaret Holdcroft Tim Easterby

0000(0)-0 JUDGE 'N JURY 7-8-10 Robert & Nina Bailey Ron Harris

401-320 BEAT THE BELL 6-8-09 D Pryde & J Cringan David Barron

24(1)10-0 KANAF (IRE) 4-8-08 Hamdan Al Maktoum Ed Dunlop

3212(0)(4)- SECRET MILLIONAIRE (IRE) 4-8-08 Secret Millionaire Syndicate Patrick Morris

314(1)-21 AHTOUG 3-8-08 Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

1(3)/4420- RACY 4-8-07 The C H F Partnership Kevin Ryan

21(1)(3)5-5 DUBAI MEDIA (CAN) 4-8-05 Ahmad Al Shaikh Ed Dunlop

615035- CRIMEA (IRE) 5-8-05 Middleham Park Racing XVI David Nicholls

30050-0 DUCHESS DORA (IRE) 4-8-05 The Clay Family John Quinn

0130-60 SOHRAAB 7-8-03 Pangfield Racing Hughie Morrison

030663- STRIKE UP THE BAND 8-8-03 Barker Moser Nicholls Short David Nicholls

000-321 OLDJOESAID 7-8-02 Angie Bailey Kevin Ryan

1600-00 BERTOLIVER 7-8-02 Mrs A Shone Stuart Williams

5036-03 INDIAN TRAIL 11-8-01 Martin Love David Nicholls

(1)(1)(4)(5)(6)-(2) MATSUNOSUKE 9-8-01 J A Provan, C E Stedman & R J Corsan Dr Richard Newland

3200-43 JAMESWAY (IRE) 3-8-00 Middleham Park Racing XIX Richard Fahey

11220-(0) LA FORTUNATA 4-7-13 James Patton Mike Murphy

5(0)(6)-(1)40 LE TOREADOR 6-7-11 Guy Reed Kevin Ryan

352610- BRYNFA BOY 5-7-09 The Golf Oil Partnership Paul D'Arcy

(3)(3)(1)(5)(3)(4) ESTONIA 4-6-10 Miss K Squance Michael Squance

37 entries