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Visindar Heads 33 Going Forward For The Vodafone Derby 19/05/06

The Andre Fabre-trained Visindar heads 33 horses going forward for the £1,250,000 Vodafone Derby, run at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3, following today’s forfeit stage, which represents a healthy increase on the 27 horses engaged in Europe’s richest race at this stage in 2005 and the 25 in 2004.

Visindar cemented his position at the head of the ante-post market for the premier Classic with an authoritative four-length success in the Group Two Prix Greffulhe at Longchamp on Monday, May 15. Owned by the Aga Khan, who is seeking a fifth Vodafone Derby success following Shergar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kahyasi (1988) and Sinndar (2000), Visindar is unbeaten in three starts and if successful on June 3 he will become the first French-trained victor since Empery in 1976.

Fabre could also run Linda’s Lad, a Group One winner in France last season who prepared for Epsom Downs with victory in the totesport Derby Trial at Lingfield on May 13, when he beat Hazeymm by a head.

Fabre may still be seeking his first success in the 12-furlong Vodafone Derby, but Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien can already count two victories in the Classic following Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002), and looks to have another strong hand this year.

The pick of O’Brien’s six remaining entries are Horatio Nelson, successful in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp last season and eighth behind stable companion George Washington in the Stan James 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance, Dylan Thomas, who collected the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on May 13, impressive Group Two totesport Dante Stakes winner Septimus, and French 2000 Guineas victor Aussie Rules.

Godolphin’s two possibles are last season’s Group One Racing Post Trophy runner-up Winged Cupid and Jeu de Mot.

The principal British-trained contenders are headed by Sir Percy, victorious in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in 2005 and second to George Washington in the Stan James 2000 Guineas on his seasonal debut on May 6. Olympian Odyssey, third in the Newmarket Classic, is also set to head to Epsom Downs and is the sole surviving entry for Barry Hills, who has had four Vodafone Derby seconds.

Classic-winning owner Bill Gredley believes Olympian Odyssey could represent his best ever chance of success in theVodafone Derby

Gredley is hopeful that ther Sadler’s Wells colt can give him his second Epsom Classic following the 1992 Vodafone Oaks victory of User Friendly.

Gredley commented today: “Environment Friend won the Dante pulling away so he was the best chance I had previously of winning the Vodafone Derby. He finished 11th in 1991 but something was amiss that day because he came out and won the Eclipse next time.

Olympian Odyssey
© racing-images.co.uk

“Olympian Odyssey is a good horse. He’s a tougher horse and more stoutly bred than Environment Friend who was a nice horse but not as manly as this horse, so in that respect Olympian Odyssey would be better than him.

“I do feel the horse is capable of winning a Derby - I just don’t know which one yet. He’s still in the French Derby so we haven’t made a firm decision but if he runs in the Vodafone Derby it will be because he has a good chance.

“He handles all sorts of ground, which is the nice thing about him. He has run well on fast and won on soft so if he got a little bit of juice it would just help him. Jamie Spencer will be on him if runs in the Vodafone Derby.”

Several of the main trial winners remain in the line up including Art Deco, successful in the Cheshire Regiment Dee Stakes, and Letheby & Christopher Predominate Stakes victor Championship Point.

Atlantic Waves
© racing-images.co.uk

Other interesting contenders include Hala Bek, who created such a favourable impression when winning a maiden at Newbury on April 21 but has not been seen out since and trainer Michael Jarvis has admitted that he is racing against time to get the colt to Epsom Downs on June 3, while Listed Feilden Stakes victor Atlantic Waves could represent Mark Johnston.

The next confirmation stage for the Vodafone Derby is at the five-day stage on May 29, when there is a final opportunity to enter the Classic at the £75,000 supplementary entry stage.

Epsom Downs Racecourse Managing Director, Stephen Wallis, commented: “Having 33 horses remaining in the Vodafone Derby at this stage is more than normal. What is exciting is the number of horses that are coming to Epsom with a genuine chance in the Classic. The race is shaping up! “

THE 2006 VODAFONE DERBY

Class 1, Group One, Epsom Downs, Total Prize Fund £1,250,000, Saturday, June 3, 2006, one mile, four furlongs and about 10 yards. Weights: colts 9st; fillies 8st 11lb, closed December 1, 2004 (639 entries), first forfeit stage February 28, 2006 (136 entries remained - five officially withdrawn subsequently), £8,000 second entry stage April 5, 2006 (12 added - making 143 entries in total going forward), second forfeit stage May 19, 2006 (33 remain), £75,000 supplementary entry stage May 29, 2006, five-day confirmation stage noon, May 29, 2006, final declaration stage 10am June 1, 2006. (Form figures from Weatherbys correct up to May 18, 2006, and may not include some overseas form).

Form Horse Owner Trainer
123-30 ALTIUS (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
12-1 ART DECO (IRE) Evelyn Hankinson Charles Egerton
15-1 ATLANTIC WAVES (IRE) Jaber Abdullah Mark Johnston
1421-4d1 AUSSIE RULES (USA) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
52-(1)(3)20 AWATUKI Allen Pope & Andrew King Alan Jarvis
(6)(4)(4)(1)(6) BARILOCHE Lori Kirk, Dr Carlini Cozzi & Sally Doyle Jim Boyle
0(1)-(2)(1)4 BEFORE YOU GO (IRE) Tina Smith Terry Mills
0314-2 BEST ALIBI (IRE) Gainsborough Stud Sir Michael Stoute
112-1 CHAMPIONSHIP POINT John Livock Bloodstock Ltd Mick Channon
0- CORUM (IRE) H R H Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden
50- DON JOSE (USA) H R H Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden
0-(3)22 DRAGON DANCER John Pearce Geoff Wragg
1126-1 DYLAN THOMAS (IRE) Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
3-1* FUTUN Scuderia Rencati Srl Luca Cumani
0-16 GANDOR (IRE) H R H Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden
1 HALA BEK (IRE) Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
251-12 HAZEYMM (IRE) Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Mick Channon
11112-0 HORATIO NELSON (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O’Brien IRE
213- JEU DE MOT (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
221211-41 LINDA’S LAD Sean Mulryan Andre Fabre FR
4-3 MAHRAJAAN (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum John Gosden
214-42 MOUNTAIN (IRE) Anne-Marie O'Brien Aidan O’Brien IRE
63(1)-1 NIGHT CRESCENDO (USA) John Connolly Amanda Perrett
NODDIES WAY Stan Baugh Ed McMahon
321-23 OLYMPIAN ODYSSEY Bill Gredley Barry Hills
113-01 SEPTIMUS (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O’Brien IRE
010-32 SIENNA STORM (IRE) Beryl Lockey Mark Tompkins
1111-2 SIR PERCY Anthony Pakenham Marcus Tregoning
61 SIXTIES ICON Susan Roy Jeremy Noseda
(4)(4)-313 SNOQUALMIE BOY Jeff Smith David Elsworth
1-11 VISINDAR HH Aga Khan Andre Fabre FR
112- WINGED CUPID Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
031-13 YOUMZAIN (IRE) Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon

* runs May 19 at Hamilton
33 entries remain after second forfeit stage on May 19, 2006
6 Irish-trained
2 French-trained

VODAFONE DERBY CONTENDERS BOOSTED BY 12
11/04/06

The premier colts' Classic, the Vodafone Derby, has attracted 12 colts at the second-entry stage, it is announced today, Tuesday, April 11, 2006.

Both of the world's two most powerful bloodstock empires, Coolmore and Godolphin, have added colts to the Vodafone Derby which is run over 12 furlongs at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3.

There are six more from champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, representing various Coolmore partnerships, in Benjamin Franklin, Frost Giant, George Washington, Pescatorio, Poseidon Adventure and Road To Mandalay. [more]

SIR PERCY AMONG 136 VODAFONE DERBY HOPEFULS AFTER FIRST FORFEIT STAGE 22/03/06

The 2006 Vodafone Derby, run at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3, promises plenty after 136 horses stood their ground at the initial forfeit stage - the first there has been since the yearling entry in 2004.

There are 27 Irish-trained horses remaining, alongside three from France and one from Germany in the premier British Classic. [more]