Epsom Derby

racing news/

Epsom Downs Breakfast With The Stars
28/05/10

Breakfast With The Stars at Epsom Downs Racecourse, home of the world’s greatest race, the Investec Derby, today unfolded with two horses working at the course and many connections being interviewed eight days before the two-day 2010 Investec Derby Festival starts on Friday, June 4.

However, both Bell and Spencer were not able to leave Newmarket by helicopter this morning because of poor visibility and Ernie Johnson, who partnered the 1969 Derby winner Blakeney, was in the saddle instead.

The two three-year-olds started from the nine-furlong marker with Strong Vigilance setting a steady pace two lengths ahead of Coordinated Cut who got closer turning into the straight.

Coordinated Cut ranged up with a quarter-mile to go and led close to the finish without breaking into a sweat.

Bell said afterwards by phone: “Obviously, I would have liked to have been there at Epsom to watch the horse in action but what will be will be.

“He is a very nice horse, has a very good cruising speed and a very good temperament for a Montjeu horse. He is very easy to deal with and laid-back.

“I am hoping to get a bit of improvement out of him. I was probably too easy on him after he won the sales race at Newmarket in April as he blew very hard after finishing third in the Dante so I probably under-cooked him.

“So I am hoping for improvement fitness-wise and going over a bit further in the Dee Stakes at Chester. The race was not really run to suit him as he got pushed back with five furlongs to run. He split horses and won in nice style, going away to win perhaps a shade cosily.

“He has done well since then and pleased me in his work at home. Running around Chester always helps handling the bends at Epsom.

“The standard of the Derby is pretty high and I certainly feel that Aidan (O’Brien) holds ths aces and it is just a question of how he plays his cards.

“William (Buick) will ride Azmeel all being well. He has probably watched enough Derbys and seen enough. The one thing you want in a Derby is a horse that has natural speed to get in the position that you want to be, a nice cruising speed and is able to stay the trip.

“Gertrude Bell will stay the trip well in the Investec Oaks. It was slow-run race at Chester and she won but it was not the way she likes to race.”

Marcus Tregoning trains Rumoush, the 9/2 t favourite with totesport for the Investec Oaks.

The trainer told Breakfast With The Stars in a telephone interview: “She worked very well at Lingfield yesterday over a mile and a quarter.

“I jus wanted her to come down the hill there and give her more experience. She came out of it well.

“I think she would have been in the frame in the 1000 Guineas but for the draw, 18 of 18.

“She has got to get the trip. I trained her half-brother Mawatheeq who is by Danzig, more and influence for speed, and he was very effective over both a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half. So I am hopeful, being by Rahy, that she will stay a mile and a half too.

“She has a reasonably relaxed way of going and a good kick at the end.”

Jim Bolger is another trainer hoping to saddle the Investec Oaks winner. He will rely on Akdarena rather than Gile Na Greine.

The Irish-based handler said today over the phone: “We hope she will stay the trip - she wasn’t stopping when she won at Naas. Kevin (Manning) set a strong pace there on her - the further they went, the better she seemed to be going. We are plenty happy that she will stay well.

“She doesn’t have to make the running as long as there is a decent pace and we will play it by ear. It was a good performance at Naas, winning by seven lengths.

“I would say that betting at the moment indicates very well the level of ability of the first six contenders (Akdarena is a 10/1 chance with totesport) and I am hoping we are thereabouts.”

Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing at Epsom Downs Racecourse, had news of the ground.

He said: “I am very happy with the state of the ground. I would describe the going as good at the moment. We had about two millimetres of rain this morning which has helped.

“The course is in lovely condition, though it has been late coming this year. I walked the course on Tuesday and for the first time I felt it was getting there in of its cover and condition.

“We have had a difficult spring but are getting to just about where we want the ground to be. The recent hot weather has brought the grass on.

“In of irrigation, we will not do anything here until we have got Saturday out of the way. The next chance of rain is on Saturday though I sense we will not get as much as once thought.

“We can sit back for the time being before getting some up to date information on what the weather will be like next week.

“We would water on the morning of the Thursday (the day before the Investec Derby Festival starts) if we felt it was appropriate.

“One thing I have always avoided here, having had a bad experience at a quieter two-day meeting, is watering overnight - it was disaster.

“Any watering will be done and dusted before the meeting starts - I have never watered between the two days of the Investec Derby Festival and I don’t intend to start.

“I am open minded about watering next week. Our aim is to ensure that by the time we get to 4pm on Saturday afternoon (June 5), the Investec Derby is not run on ground any quicker than good to firm.”