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50 Entered For Vodafone Rose Bowl & 35 Possibles For The Vodafone Dash
11/05/05

Entries are revealed today for the two most valuable handicaps at the Vodafone Derby Meeting, the Vodafone Rose Bowl and the Vodafone "Dash".

The Vodafone Rose Bowl, run over 10 furlongs and 18 yards on Ladies Day, Friday, June 3, has received an excellent entry of 50 for the 2005 renewal. The prize fund has increased substantially from the 2004 figure of £40,000 to £75,000.

Last year's race was won by the John Dunlop-trained Persian Lightning (9st 8lb) and he is entered once again along with both the third Shahzan House (8st 13lb) and the fourth Counsel's Opinion (9st 6lb), who was also runner-up in 2002.

Heading the weights are the Michael Jarvis-trained duo of St Andrews (9st 9lb) and Fruhlingssturm (9st 10lb), who finished fourth and fifth respectively last time out in the Group Three Huxley Stakes at Chester on May 5.

Other classy entries include John Gosden's Privy Seal (9st 5lb), successful in the Listed Easter Stakes at Kempton Park last season, and Spanish Don (9st 4lb), who caused a shock when landing the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket in 2004 at odds of 100/1 before going on to land the Listed James Seymour Stakes at the same course later in the campaign.

Sir Michael Stoute, successful two years ago with Akshar, has two entries to choose from - Lord Mayor (9st 5lb), a winner on Vodafone Derby Day last year in the Vodafone Live! Handicap, and Promotion (9st 2lb), owned by the Queen and an encouraging fourth on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket earlier this month.

Another Newmarket trainer who looks to hold a strong hand is Sir Mark Prescott with three entries. These are Pedrillo (9st 1lb), not seen out since disappointing when favourite for the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket in October, Masafi (8st 8lb), a seven-time winner in 2004, and Cordial (8st 4lb), successful twice on the all-weather at Lingfield this season.

An interesting entry is the Andrew Reid-trained Eccentric (7st 12lb). The four-year-old showed rapid progress on the all-weather during the winter, culminating with his defeat of Blythe Knight (9st 5lb) in the Winter Derby at Lingfied on March 19. It will be interesting to see if he is capable of exploiting his much lower turf rating.

Two horses coming into the race on the back of a win are Tiger Tiger (8st 10lb), a winner at Chester last week after which trainer Jamie Poulton nominated the Vodafone Rose Bowl as the four-year-old's next target, and Kew Green (9st 5lb), victorious on his latest three starts in a handicap at Lingfield, in the Rosebery Handicap at Kempton and last Saturday in the Suffolk Handicap at Newmarket, where he scored well by four lengths from Spanish Don.

The £75,000 Vodafone Dash' Handicap, run over the fastest five furlongs in the world on Vodafone Derby Day, Saturday, June 4, has attracted 35 of the quickest sprint handicappers in Britain and France.

Only one horse has been removed from the £75,000 Vodafone "Dash" following the forfeit stage, which has a £100,000 bonus if the course record of 53.6s is broken, and there are 41 going forward for the £75,000 Vodafone Rose Bowl, the big handicap on Vodafone Ladies' Day, Friday, June 3. [more]

Fire Up The Band (9st 6lb) was expected to need the run when scoring for trainer David Nicholls at Chester's May Festival, the six-year-old making all to deny Fonthill Road by half a length, and he should improve for his seasonal bow.

Robert Cowell's Forever Phoenix (9st 1lb) provided her trainer with the biggest success of his career when winning a handicap at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai in February, running on well to master Prince Aaron by the narrowest of margins.

French-based trainer Rupert Pritchard-Gordon could launch an international raid courtesy of Madame Topflight (8st 3lb), who was only beaten half a length into third by Beautifix and Cammies Future in a Listed event at Deauville in August.

The David Barker-trained Celtic Mill (9st 10lb) won four times last season and the Celtic Swing gelding is another to have enjoyed an excellent seasonal debut, finishing just over two lengths adrift of Avonbridge in fourth in the Group Three VCbet Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on the last day of April.

Milton Bradley's sprinters are always worthy of consideration and the Chepstow-based trainer has three entries in the form of Corridor Creeper (9st 7lb), Cape Royal (9st 2lb) and Blue Tomato (8st 3lb).

Corridor Creeper actually won the Vodafone Dash' Trial Conditions Stakes at Goodwood last month, staying on well from over a furlong out to beat Smokin Beau by two lengths, Cape Royal won at Doncaster in April and then finished third, beaten two heads by the veteran Bishops Court (8st 12lb), in the Blue Square 0800 587 0200 Handicap, a race that he had won the previous season, at Epsom on April 20, while Blue Tomato won three races in 2003 and was runner-up on his last start.

Other notable entries include the John Quinn-trained Caribbean Coral (8st 12lb) and Plateau (8st), another trained by David Nicholls, first and second in last year's renewal, as well as Bryan Smart's pair of Bond City (8st 9lb) and Bond Becks (8st).

Bond City was just over two lengths adrift of Westbrook Blue in third in a five-furlong handicap at Chester last week, while Bond Becks did not run last year and plenty of improvement can be expected after his well-beaten return last week.

Stephen Wallis, Managing Director of Epsom Downs Racecourse, commented: "The substantial increase in prize money certainly seems to have paid dividends with the Vodafone Rose Bowl which has received an excellent entry of 50.

"It is great to see so many favourites and plenty of new contenders in the Vodafone "Dash." The contest looks sure to provide a tremendous spectacle with the best sprint handicappers around thundering down the famous five-furlong straight at Epsom Downs."

VODAFONE DASH HERITAGE HANDICAP STAKES
Epsom Downs, Saturday, June 4, 2005, Class 2, £75,000 Total Prize Fund. For 3yo+, 5f. Minimum weight 7st 12lb; Highest weight not less than 9st 10lb. Penalties: after May 7, a winner 4lb, a winner of two or more races 7lb. Entries closed Wednesday, May 4 (35 entries), weights published Wednesday, May 11, forfeit stage May 17 (34 remain); five-day confirmation stage: noon on Monday, May 30, declarations to run: 10am Friday, June 3. Form figures are correct up to and including Tuesday, May 17, 2005.

Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer
6104(4)-4 CELTIC MILL 7-9-10 Peter Asquith David Barker
32125-1 CORRIDOR CREEPER (FR) 8-9-07 Gary & Libby Johnson Milton Bradley
10000-10 FIRE UP THE BAND 6-9-06 P Crane, A Barker & S Short David Nicholls
40-(2)066 FAST HEART 4-9-03 Stephen Dartnell Brian Meehan
20-41305 CAPE ROYAL 5-9-02 Eddie Hayward Milton Bradley
(4)0(0)1062 FOREVER PHOENIX 5-9-01 John Greetham Robert Cowell
2/000-00 MORNIN RESERVES 6-8-13 Audrey Harrison Gary Harrison
40(1)(0)-00 TEXAS GOLD 7-8-13 C L A Edginton William Muir
006-010 BISHOPS COURT 11-8-12 David Brotherton Lynda Ramsden
0440-00 CARIBBEAN CORAL 6-8-12 Dawson, Green, Quinn, Roberts John Quinn
653400- COLONEL COTTON (IRE) 6-8-11 Lucayan Stud David Nicholls
0405-44 BECKERMET (IRE) 3-8-11 Bishopthorpe Racing Two Roger Fisher
(3)(2)(4)(0)20 HIDDEN DRAGON (USA) 6-8-10 Jane, Victoria, Aimee & Thelma Whiting Paul Blockley
005-650 PEACE OFFERING (IRE) 5-8-10 Lady O'Reilly David Nicholls
403(0)(2)(0)-1 FRUIT OF GLORY 6-8-10 R B Hill John Jenkins
001410- ATLANTIC VIKING (IRE) 10-8-10 David Faulkner David Nicholls
0410-15 MERLIN'S DANCER 5-8-10 Chalfont Foodhalls Ltd David Nicholls
50(1)2(1)-30 BOND CITY (IRE) 3-8-09 Reg Bond Bryan Smart
0-(5)(6)046 DRAGON FLYER (IRE) 6-8-08 A Newby Mick Quinn
13D300- SAFARI SUNSET (IRE) 3-8-06 Peter Winkworth Peter Winkworth
(1)(0)-(5)(1)45 POLISH EMPEROR (USA) 5-8-05 Richard Edrich & Martin Graves Walter Swinburn
(2)-(0)(2)(2)01 WHO'S WINNING (IRE) 4-8-04 Tony Head and Caroline Andrus Brendan Powell
05502-0 LOYAL TYCOON (IRE) 7-8-03 Anthony W. Parsons Dean Ivory
01-0610 MADAME TOPFLIGHT 3-8-03 Robert Ng Rupert Pritchard-Gordon FR 3/0-(6)(4)(6)2 BLUE TOMATO 4-8-03 Dab Hand Racing Milton Bradley
132/16-30 FICTIONAL 4-8-03 John Fretwell Ed McMahon
(2)(4)(1)(4)(5)36 TREASURE CAY 4-8-02 Bigwigs Bloodstock IV Paul D'Arcy
3300-000 PTARMIGAN RIDGE 9-8-02 The Hon Miss Heather Galbraith Lynda Perratt
20030-4 PLATEAU 6-8-00 Ian Hewitson David Nicholls
(4)(0)(3)2000 ZARZU 6-7-11 Page, Pickering, Taylor, Ward, Marsh Con Dore
000-0000 BLACKHEATH (IRE) 9-7-08 Middleham Park Racing XX & Streamhill David Nicholls
0140/-06 RUDI'S PET (IRE) 11-7-07 David Nicholls David Nicholls
2220-00 INTRIGUING GLIMPSE 4-7-06 Edward Hyde Brooke Sanders
(0)-(6)(0)300 PENNAUTIER (IRE) 3-5-05 Ashby & Blount Racing Partnership Paul Blockley

34 entries remain after May 17 forfeit stage
1 French-trained

THE VODAFONE ROSE BOWL HERITAGE HANDICAP STAKES
Epsom Downs, Friday, June 3, 2005, Class 2, Total Prize Fund £75,000, for four-year-olds and upwards, one mile two furlongs 18 yards, Lowest weight 7st 12lb; Highest weight not less than 9st 10lb. Penalties: after May 7, a winner 4lb, a winner of two or more races 7lb. Entries closed Wednesday, May 4 (50 entries), weights published Wednesday, May 11, forfeot stage May 17 (41 remain) five-day confirmation stage: noon on Saturday, May 28, declarations to run: 10am Thursday, June 2. Form figures are correct up to and including Tuesday, May 17, 2005.

Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer
3445(0)-5 FRUHLINGSSTURM 5-9-10 Gary Tanaka Michael Jarvis
016-224 ST ANDREWS (IRE) 5-9-09 Team Havana Michael Jarvis
44146-5 PERSIAN LIGHTNING (IRE) 6-9-08 Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc John Dunlop
4140-02 COLISAY 6-9-07 Robert Brown & Partners Amanda Perrett
0-(1)(0)133 COUNSEL'S OPINION (IRE) 8-9-06 Mrs J Roberts Chris Wall
32(0)-112 BOULE D'OR (IRE) 4-9-06 Friends and Family John Akehurst
(2)26434 BLYTHE KNIGHT (IRE) 5-9-05 Maktoum Al Maktoum Ed Dunlop
(1)-(2)(3)(1)11 KEW GREEN (USA) 7-9-05 Peter Jensen Paul Webber
1556-04 LORD MAYOR 4-9-05 John Greetham Sir Michael Stoute
5011(0)-2 SPANISH DON 7-9-04 Richard Cohen David Elsworth
32/122-4 PROMOTION 5-9-02 The Queen Sir Michael Stoute
06(0)(R)-665 CHANCELLOR (IRE) 7-9-02 M J Al-Qatami Gerard Butler
(0)(0)3005 RED LANCER 4-9-00 Fox and Cub Partnership Richard Price
0/1201-2 WOODCRACKER 4-9-00 Sir Thomas Pilkington Michael Bell
123/400- AUDITORIUM 4-9-00 Cheveley Park Stud Amanda Perrett
3336-220 SHAHZAN HOUSE (IRE) 6-8-13 H R H Sultan Ahmad Shah Michael Jarvis
30000-5 THYOLO (IRE) 4-8-12 Mike Watts and Steve Woodhams Clive Cox
40-(0)(0)013 TIGER TIGER (FR) 4-8-10 Ron Huggins Jamie Poulton
011/-3 BLUE MONDAY 4-8-10 Mountgrange Stud Roger Charlton
050-104 NERO'S RETURN (IRE) 4-8-08 Christine Budden Mark Johnston
02(5)(4)-50 IMPELLER (IRE) 6-8-08 D G Clarke & C L A Edginton William Muir
(0)(6)330-0 ZONERGEM 7-8-07 Tony Perkins Lady Herries
0/4200-0 ABLE BAKER CHARLIE (IRE) 6-8-07 David Croft & Partners James Fanshawe
53354-3 TORINMOOR (USA) 4-8-06 Bob & Pauline Scott Amanda Perrett
2066-065 CROW WOOD 6-8-06 Marie Taylor John Quinn
3/5131-0 DAY TO REMEMBER 4-8-04 Racing For Gold Ed Vaughan
0-(0)(3)000 ALWAYS ESTEEMED (IRE) 5-8-03 Sunpak Potatoes Kevin Ryan
14240- NAMROC (IRE) 4-8-02 Bruce Corman Ed Vaughan
5(6)05566 TOP SEED (IRE) 4-8-02 John Livock Bloodstock Limited Mick Channon
(4)(1)(5)610 DANELOR (IRE) 7-8-01 Mark Leatham Richard Fahey
0500000 JAZZ SCENE (IRE) 4-8-01 P Trant Mick Channon
41242-1 SPRING JIM 4-8-01 Andrew & Julia Turner James Fanshawe
(2)-(1)(5)(2)(1)(0) GIG HARBOR 6-7-13 Fraser Miller Racing Patrick Chamings
32160-40 NIGHTSPOT 4-7-13 John Deer Roger Charlton
-(1)(1)(2)(1)(1)(5) ECCENTRIC 4-7-12 Gary Tanaka Andrew Reid
0/30433- SPRING GODDESS (IRE)4-7-11 Grant & Bowman Limited Alan Jarvis
(4)(1)(2)-(3)(6)(5) RESONATE (IRE) 7-7-10 S Langridge Tony Newcombe
101560- REALISM (FR) 5-7-10 George Leatham Richard Fahey
30000-0 TUNING FORK 5-7-09 Canisbay Bloodstock John Akehurst
(5)(3)(0)(5)65 WINNERS DELIGHT 4-7-08 Breckland Bingo Alan Jarvis
3/265-11 HIGH BRAY (GER) 4-6-08 Suzanne Roberts David Elsworth

41 entries remain after May 17 forfeit stage