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Colin Keane will replace Rob Hornby aboard the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby favourite Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the Curragh on Saturday.

Westover endured a luckless run under Hornby to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom and connections have explained that Keane's experience of riding at the Curragh swung the vote in his favour ahead of Saturday.

The three-time Irish Champion Jockey has already tasted Classic success in the Juddmonte silks, courtesy of 2020 Irish Guineas winner Siskin, who was trained by Keane's boss Ger Lyons.

Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon revealed that the agreement with Keane does not extend beyond Saturday's race, and that Hornby may well get back on the colt in the future.

Mahon said, “We all sat down and felt that the Curragh is a unique track and that the Derby can be quite tactical so we said that experience on the track was going to be important. We've taken the decision to book Colin Keane, who is the three-time Irish champion jockey, to ride him on Saturday.

“There's no arrangement in place. At the moment, it's only for Saturday, and we'll review it afterwards with Prince Khalid's [Abdullah] family but you don't get more experienced around the Curragh than Colin Keane.”

He added, “We're using the best available. As you saw last week [at Royal Ascot], Frankie [Dettori], Ryan [Moore] and Colin [Keane] rode for us. It's a case of using the best available. A lot of the top jockeys have retainers and it's hard to get their services a lot of the time so it's good to have Colin there to stand in for us when we need him.”

Westover is a general 11-8 favourite to gain compensation for a luckless trip in the Derby at Epsom, where Mahon believes Hornby, who has ridden Ralph Beckett's charge in all bar one of his five starts on the track, was a hostage to misfortune.

Mahon explained, “I thought Rob gave the horse a beautiful ride at Epsom. He was very unlucky and I think it's exactly what it was. He was unlucky that stall two has the hoodoo of never producing a Derby winner and, the reason why it has never produced a Derby winner is because, what happened to Westover is what happens [every year].

“You're on the fence and horses come down on top of you and there's nothing you can do about it. But I thought he gave him a beautiful ride and, in fairness to Rob, he has ridden him in all of his work and rode him again yesterday [Monday] morning in his last piece of work. He's been a brilliant team player.”

Mahon added, “Ralph has sat down and had a good talk with him. He's disappointed–of course he's disappointed–but we're definitely not saying that he won't be back on the horse again. This is a one-time thing for the Curragh and we'll see how Saturday goes and the family will review it afterwards and see what they want to do going forward.”

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Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett (GB) will carry the hopes of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing in the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday week after connections ruled out running the promising Lysander (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the Epsom Classic.

Runner-up to Derby favourite Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Dante S. at York a fortnight ago, Royal Patronage will bid to reverse that form at Epsom, while Listed Cocked Hat S. third Lysander will be aimed at Royal Ascot following his defeat at Goodwood.

Highclere's Harry Herbert said: “We had high hopes for Lysander and we still do, it was just very frustrating when the rain arrived at Goodwood.

“I think this horse has such a good action and he was slightly all at sea off that slow pace when they really quickened it up, but he still ran a hell of a race. We're not going to the Derby with him now and will head to either the Hampton Court or the King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot.”

Herbert added, “He had a hard race the other day in sticky ground and William just feels going to Epsom would be the wrong move for the horse right now. He's very talented and we never like turning down the Derby, but we'll take a longer term view.”

Royal Patronage was beaten a little over three lengths behind Desert Crown in the Dante and remains a 25-1 shot for the Derby.

Herbert is not necessarily expecting the Highclere runner to reverse that form, but does feel he has been underestimated in the market.

He said, “He'll definitely run there, all being well. I spoke to Charlie Johnston on Tuesday morning and he tells me he's in very good form.

“He won impressively at Epsom last year, so he's handled the track pretty well and we're hopeful that he'll stay the mile and a half. If he does, he could give everyone a lovely shout”

Herbert added, “We feel the rhythm of the Dante possibly didn't suit him as they went slow and then really sprinted, but take nothing away from the winner, who won well and deserves to be Derby favourite.

“It's a difficult race and anything can happen, as we've seen so many times before. I think we're probably too big a price for a talented horse who is proven on the track.”

One who could still turn up at Epsom is Godolphin's Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who came through a workout on Wednesday morning and a decision on whether to supplement him will be made in the next 48 hours.

Charlie Appleby said on Godolphin's Twitter account: “Nations Pride has impressed in his work at Moulton Paddocks this morning with William Buick on board. A decision will be made in the next 48 hours whether he will be supplemented for the G1 Derby @EpsomRacecourse.”

The post Highclere Rely on Royal Patronage as Lysander Ruled out of the Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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