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| Investec Derby 2011 |
Epsom Derby
Dunboyne Express Given Investec Derby Option A dozen potential Investec Derby heroes have ed the list of entries for Last year, Khalid Abdulla has engaged the Henry Cecil-trained pair of Picture Editor and Midsummer Sun, as well as Sea Moon, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who saddled Workforce to victory for Abdulla in last year’s Investec Derby. Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has entered the Galileo colt Marksmanship at the second entry stage following his impressive debut victory at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Owner Fitri Hay has added the Galileo colt No Heretic and the unraced Selkirk colt Strategic Bid, both trained by Paul Cole, successful in the Investec Derby with the brilliant Generous in 1991. Solario Stakes and was subsequently fourth in the Racing Post Trophy, while maiden winners Marhaba Malyoon and Loving Spirit, trained by David Simcock and James Toller respectively, have also been entered. The next and final entry stage costing 75,000 deadlines at noon on Monday, May 30. THE 12 SECOND ENTRIES FOR THE 2011 INVESTEC DERBY CASAMENTO (IRE) ch c Shamardal (USA) - Wedding Gift (FR) (Always Fair (USA)) Agent Bobby O’Ryan paid 54,000 euros on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed’s team to buy Casamento at Goffs as a foal when offered from his tbreeder Dermot Cantillon’s Tinakill House. Sent to trainer Mick Halford, he was part of a handful of juveniles to race in Ireland in Sheikh Mohammed’s colours last year and he proved himself up with the very best two-year-olds of 2010. After landing a seven-furlong Tipperary maiden on his August 26 debut, he was beaten a head into second in the Group One Vincent O’Brien National Stakes when rapidly upped in class a forntight later. He bounced back to justify odds-on favouritism with a four-length win in the Group Two Juddmonte Beresford Stakes on September 28 before rounding off his campaign with a three-quarter length victory over Seville in the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on October 23.The Shamardal colt, out of Prix de Diane fifth Wedding Gift, travelled to Godolphin’s Newmarket stable after his Doncaster win and - after wintering in Dubai - will be overseen by trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni in Newmarket this year. DUBAI PRINCE (IRE) Like Casamento, Dubai Prince is a son of Shamardal who was bought as a foal and raced in Sheikh Mohammed’s colours in Ireland last year. The 48,000 guineas purchase, who was sent to Curragh handler Dermot Weld, did precious little wrong in two starts. He was a well-backed favourite on his debut in a Gowran Park maiden on September 25, scoring by a length from Seville, and reappeared exactly amonth later in the Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown. Sent off at 4/9, he quickened clear to score by three and a half lengths in the seven-furlong event. Transferred to Godolphin, he is now with Casamento at Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Newmarket stable, Moulton Paddocks. DUNBOYNE EXPRESS (IRE) Dunboyne Express, by Casamento and Dubai Prince’s sire Shamardal out of a half-sister to Investec Oaks heroine Love Divine, failed to find a buyer when offered as a yearling at Tattersalls and was led out unsold when bidding reached 48,000 guineas. But that proved a fortuitous moment for breeder John Connaughton, who put him in training with Kevin Prendergast and has had little cause to subsequently rue his decision. Dunboyne Express was well-touted ahead of his June 10 debut in a Leopardstown maiden, beating the classy Master Of Hounds by a short-head, and really demonstrated his class the following month with an eight-length success over Samuel Morse in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh on July 18. A sprained ankle, then infection kept him off the track until he rounded the season off with fifth place behind Casamento in the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on October 23. He reappeared at Leopardstown on March 27 in the Group Three 2,000 Guineas Trial when he had little trouble in coming home best of the three runners. LOVING SPIRIT (GB) A 42,000 guineas purchase from Tattersalls’ Craven Breeze-Up Sale in April last year, Loving Spirit made his debut in a competitive 17-runner Newmarket maiden on October 1. He scored by an impressive five lengths and was out again a fortnight later in the Houghton Condition Stakes at Newmarket, when finishing two and a quarter lengths second to Mantoba. MARHABA MALYOON (IRE) Bought for 40,000 guineas as a yearling at Tatersalls by Dubai-based owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, Marhaba Malyoon ed Newmarket handler David Simcock, for whom he had just one start last year. That came in a 10-furlong maiden at Bath on September 27, when beating Ullswater to win by a short-head. By Tiger Hill, he is out of a half-sister to the dams of smart stayers Mourayan and Mourilyan so he should excel over longer trips. MARKSMANSHIP (IRE) Bred by the late Cathal Ryan’s Swordlestown Stud, Marksmanship is by champion sire Galileo out of the Listed-winning juvenile Maroochydore but did not run as a two-year-old. His debut came at the Curragh on Sunday (April 3) when beating the well-regarded Notable Graduate to land a 10- furlong maiden by two and a half lengths. MIDSUMMER SUN (GB) He has yet to see a racecourse, but Prince Khalid Abdulla’s home-bred Midsummer Sun is already prominent in betting lists for the 2011 Investec Derby. The son of ’s top stallion Monsun is bred to perform at the highest level. He is a half-brother to five-time Group and Grade One winner Midday out of a half-sister to Investec Oaks heroine Reams Of Verse. NATIVE KHAN (FR) Turkish businessman Ibrahim Araci paid 180,000 guineas for Native Khan at the 2010 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up, the colt having previously sold for 70,000 euros to Malcolm Bastard at the Arqana August Yearling Sale. The grey Azamour colt impressed on debut for trainer Ed Dunlop in a seven-furlong maiden at Newmarket’s July Festival. He was then pitched straight into Group Three company, winning the Solario Stakes at Sandown on August 21 by half a length from Measuring Time. Native Khan’s final start of last season came in the Group One Racing Post Trophy over a mile when, after being held up in rear, he stayed on through the final furlong to finish fourth, three and a half lengths behind Casamento at Doncaster. NO HERETIC (GB) A Galileo colt out of a Listed placed half-sister to Poule d’Essai des Poulains victor Aussie Rules, No Heretic’s second dam is the high-class Last Second. The colt sold to trainer Paul Cole, acting on behalf of Jim and Fitri Hay, for 260,000 guineas at Book One of the 2009 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. No Heretic made his only racecourse appearance to date in a hot seven-furlong Newbury maiden on September 18, in which he finished three and a half lengths third to subsequent Tattersalls Millions 2-Y-O Trophy winner Fury. PICTURE EDITOR (GB) Picture Editor is Juddmonte to the core being by owner/breeder Khalid Abdulla’s top-class Dansili out of a smart middle distance winning halfsister to Warning and Commander In Chief. Henry Cecil’s charge battled to a head verdict on his debut in a Doncaster mile maiden on September 9, and then stormed to a 30-length success in a 10-furlong conditions race on heavy going at Leicester a month later. His final start of 2010 saw him sent off the 4/6 favourite for the Listed Zetland Stakes at Newmarket on October 30, again over 10 furlongs. Picture Editor weakened to finish third, three and a quarter lengths behind Indigo Way. SEA MOON (GB) Like Picture Editor, Sea Moon is a Juddmonte homebred, being by Grade One victor and Investec Derby third Beat Hollow out of Park Hill Stakes winner Eva Luna. He is closely related to St Leger winner Brian Boru and his half-sister, Soviet Moon, is the dam of last year’s Investec Derby winner Workforce. Sea Moon was a short-head second to Sadler’s Risk on his debut in a mile maiden at Leicester on October 12, but triumphed at the second attempt when the 1/5 favourite for a heavy ground mile maiden at Yarmouth two weeks later. STRATEGIC BID (GB) Strategic Bid possesses plenty of stamina on the female line, his dam being an unraced half-sister to a Listed winner at a mile and three quarters, Moments Of Joy, and smart middle distance winner Light Of Morn. The colt’s second dam is Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille heroine My Emma, whose half-brother Classic Cliche won the Ascot Gold Cup. Paul Cole, acting for owners Jim and Fitri Hay, purchased Strategic Bid out of Book Two of the 2009 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 260,000 guineas. He is yet to make his racecourse debut. |
