Bogart has Epsom shot
Trainer richard Hannon believes that his 25- 1 shot Humphrey Bogart has what it takes to capture a place in the first four at epsom after the horse was one of four supplementary entries for Saturday’s investec Derby.
also added at yesterday’s penultimate declaration stage at a cost of £75,000 each were John Gosden’s Dante Stakes winner Wings of Desire, Godolphin’s andre Fabre- trained Cloth of Stars and ed Dunlop’s improving red Verdon.
The added cash will make the season’s premier Classic the richest race run in Britain with a purse of £1,545,000.
Hannon is hoping to grab some of it with Humphrey Bogart, winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial winner and a first ride in the race for Sean Levey.
Hannon said: ‘There are places up for grabs. While people are saying it is a weak Derby, it is usually won by a good horse. But there are not five or six of them in it.
‘He is tough, experienced and pretty good. it would not surprise me if he hit the frame. He has been to epsom and gets the trip. He has surprised me all season. i didn’t think he would stay a mile-and-a-quarter or a mile-and-a-half but he did.’
as well as winning at Lingfield, Humphrey Bogart was second to So Mi Dar in the trial at epsom’s May meeting.
Those two efforts were enough to persuade the colt’s Chelsea Thoroughbreds syndicate, a group which includes JP and MV Magnier, sons of the Coolmore Stud supremo John, to throw the dice. Hannon, who was successful with Groupie at Windsor yesterday, said: ‘if Humphry Bogart is there with two furlongs to go, he will be a big problem. He could run well at a big price and it is great for the syndicate. He will have more of a turn of foot than a lot of them.
‘it was their idea to step him up in trip. i didn’t think that he’d stay because his sire is Tagula and the furthest they normally go is a mile. But he is out of a mare by Kahyasi, the 1988 Derby winner.’
The 18 entries include two — David Simcock’s algometer and Dermot Weld’s Harzand — who are not certain starters unless there is ease in the ground.
aidan O’Brien has seven entries as he seeks his sixth win, headed by Chester Vase winner US army ranger.