English King ready for crowning glory at Epsom’s Investec Derby
● Dettori backers hop on favourite ● Italian chasing third derby win
Ante-post favourite English King headlines a final field of 16 declared for the Investec Derby at Epsom tomorrow.
Ed Walker’s charge booked his place in the Classic lineup with an impressive victory in the Lingfield Derby Trial and will be the mount of Frankie Dettori, as the everpopular Italian chases a third Derby success, after Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015).
The Andrew Balding-trained Kameko already has one Classic win on his CV after landing the 2000 Guineas last month and he will try to emulate Camelot, who supplemented his Newmarket win with Derby glory back in 2012.
Aidan O’brien fields a sixstrong challenge as he bids for a record eighth Derby success, with only Armory removed from his seven initial entries.
Royal Ascot winner Russian Emperor is the shortest O’brien contender in the betting, but King Edward VII Stakes fourth Mogul features prominently along with Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Vatican City. Mythical, Serpentine and Amhran Na Bhfiann also represent Ballydoyle.
Ryan Moore has been confirmed as riding Mogul, with Seamie Heffernan teaming up with Russian Emperor and
Padraig Beggy, who famously steered Wings Of Eagles to a 40-1 shock in 2017, aboard Vatican City.
William Buick partners Amhran Na Bhfiann, with James Doyle on Mythical and Emmet Mcnamara taking the mount on Serpentine.
Pyledriver was a surprise winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and he takes his chance for William Muir, with third-placed Mohican Heights reopposing for David Simcock.
Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal meeting winner Highland Chief features, as does Balding’s Khalifa Sat, who was a Listed winner at Goodwood on his reappearance. The field is completed by Jessica Harrington’s Irish raider Gold Maze, Emissary from Hugo Palmer’s yard, the Ralph Beckett-trained Max Vega and Worthily, who won on his only start to date for John Gosden.
As far as the Investec Oaks is concerned, Love and Frankly Darling head a field of eight at Epsom tomorrow.
Love has been the ante-post favourite since her convincing victory in the Qipco 1000 Guineas and she now bids to become the first filly since Minding in 2016 to win both Classics.
Her trainer Aidan O’brien also saddles Ennistymon and
Passion as he seeks a seventh Oaks success.
Ennistymon was second to Frankly Darling in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The latter, a daughter of Frankel, landed that Group Two prize on only her third start. Her trainer John Gosden has won the Oaks three times in the last six years, as has O’brien.
Gosden has a second string to his bow in Tiempo Vuela, while trainer Roger Varian is also doubly represented – with Gold Wand and Queen Daenerys.
Peter Chapple-hyam’s Bharani Star completes the octet.
The three withdrawals at the 48-hour final declaration stage were the O’brien-trained Peaceful, who heads to France for the Prix de Diane Longines on Sunday, Dubai Love and Oriental Mystique.
Across the Channel, French 2000 Guineas winner Victor Ludorum heads a field of 17 declared for the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) at Chantilly.
The Andre Fabre-trained colt, carrying the colours of Godolphin, aims for a Classic double last achieved by Brametot in 2017.
He will start from stall one on Sunday – while Fabre also saddles Ocean Atlantique (14) as he goes for a fifth win in the race.
Ocean Atlantique staked his claim with victory in a Listed contest at Deauville, having previously finished second to Pao Alto in the Group Three Prix la Force at Parislongchamp.
Pao Alto (nine), trained by Christophe Ferland, is also in the line-up.
Aidan O’brien is two-handed with Order Of Australia (seven) and Fort Myers (17).
Order Of Australia makes a quick reappearance after finishing fourth to stablemate Santiago in the Irish Derby last weekend. Fort Myers was unplaced in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
John Gosden’s Mishriff (three) and Celtic Art (15), trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, are the two British raiders.
Among the home-based contingent are three from Fabrice Chappet – Gold Trip (13), San Fabrizio (ten) and Pisanello (six) – and Jean-claude Rouget’s duo of Fantastic Spirit (12) and Port Guillaume (four).