Olmedo can lift French Derby
AIDAN O’BRIEN sends four to Chantilly for tomorrow’s French Derby (3.15).
Ryan Moore is on Chester winner Rostropovich, the 9-2 second favourite.
O’Brien’s other runners are a trio of horses beaten at Chester – Flag Of Honour, Hunting Horn and Kenya.
The two English runners are both trained at Newmarket. William Buick is on Godolphin’s unbeaten colt, Key Victory and James Doyle rides Hey Gaman for James Tate.
The favourite is Olmedo who beat Hey Gaman a neck in the French 2,000 Guineas with Dice Roll coming off worst in a three-way photo.
That is solid Group One form whereas Key Victory’s defeat of Old Persian and Highbrow came in the Havana Gold Newmarket Stakes, an average Listed race, the form of which has not worked out too well.
Olmedo looks a worthy favourite, while Hey Gaman appeals each-way at 12-1.
The first Group race of the day is the Prix Sandringham for three-year-old fillies over a mile. The British runners are Andrea Atzeni’s mount Ellthea, beaten two lengths in the French 1,000 Guineas, and Altyn Orda, three lengths off Billesdon Brook in our 1,000 Guineas and ridden by Colm O’Donoghue. Buick is on the Charlie Hills-trained A Momentofmadness in the Group Two Prix du Gros-Chene over five furlongs (2.00).
He also rides Rare Rhythm in the Grand Prix de Chantilly (2.35) over 12 furlongs, a consolation race for Epsom’s Coronation Cup.
Roger Varian’s Shaherezada is the sole English runner in the Prix de Royaumont (4.35).