LOADED DECK
O’Brien dominates entries for Derby
ANTE-POST favourites Midterm and Foundation are among 136 horses to stand their ground for the Investec Derby.
A total of 136 horses go forward for the June 4 showpiece at Epsom, up from 102 at the same stage 12 months ago.
Trained by John Gosden and owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, Foundation won his first three starts last season before suffering trouble in running in the Racing Post Tropy at Doncaster.
Midterm is by 2001 Derby hero Galileo and the first foal of six-time Group One heroine Midday, narrowly beaten in the 2009 Oaks.
Owned by Khalid Abdullah, who has enjoyed success three times in the premier Classic, Midterm was the comfortable winner of a mile maiden at Newbury in October.
Aidan O’Brien has won three of the last four renewals of the Derby and five in total, and has more horses left in than any other trainer, with 36 contenders in total.
These include Racing Post Trophy runner-up and subsequent Group One Criterium International winner Johannes Vermeer, impressive maiden winners Cook Islands and Idaho.
As well as the O’Brien- trained horses, owners Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith also have an interesting contender in the Gosdentrained Royal Artillery, who was successful in a maiden at Doncaster in October.
Another eyecatching possible for Gosden is Sheikh Hamdan-owned Nottingham maiden winner Wajeez.
French trainer Andre Fabre landed the 2011 Derby with Pour Moi and is represented by the unbeaten Ultra, a Group One winner last year in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.
Ultra is owned by Godolphin, who can call on a team of 14, also featuring Champagne Stakes hero Emotionless (Charlie Appleby) and Moonlight Magic (Jim Bolger).
Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar saw their colours carried to Derby victory by Authorized and Frankie Dettori in 2007. The pair have two potential runners this year, headed by Mr Khalid who is from the first crop of Pour Moi.
Trained by Marco Botti, Mr Khalid was third on his debut at Lingfield in September before making all for an impressive seven-length success in a maiden at Nottingham in October.
The Aga Khan has seven remaining entries, including Zarak (Alain de Royer-Dupre) out of the unbeaten champion Zarkava and impressive Leopardstown maiden victor Tirmizi (Dermot Weld).