What Auguste Rodin lacks in last-time-out form, he makes up for with a mix of reputation and juvenile achievement representing the trainer who has continually bent the accepted perceived knowledge of what is possible in this sport. After all, this is the stable that engineered a Slip Anchor-style Derby win out of Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a colt who had begun his career with a 16-length 10th of 11 in a Galway maiden. Auguste Rodin, the “special” one as far as all closest to him are concerned, has to go and do it himself now with O'Brien summing it up this week. “The Derby is the race where all the horses come together and then you find out, that's the way it is every year,” he said.

Passing It Down; Is Frankel The New Derby Sire Sensation?

In one of the last Classic face-offs between Galileo and Frankel, the latter looks to have a distinct edge in his bid to cement his position as the next go-to sire in this great race. Galileo's unbeaten son Artistic Star (Ire) hails not from Ballydoyle but from the Ralph Beckett stable and is a big outsider with experience in short supply, while Juddmonte's great supplies Frankie's grand finale Arrest (Ire) and more intriguingly also a sleight of hand two years on from his first winner Adayar (Ire). Unexpectedly, that emphatic Derby hero's full-brother Military Order (Ire) comes here with perhaps stronger credentials having won the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial his 5-year-old sibling surrendered en route. When Arthur Budgett's Oaks runner-up Windmill Girl produced two Derby winners in Blakeney and Morston there was a thought that it might not happen again, such is the implausibility of such an outcome, but we are potentially here again.

The 1969 and 1973 winners were half-brothers, so Anna Salai (Dubawi {Ire}) will be providing the race and her breeding operation with something unique if it again plays out right for the boys in blue on Saturday. Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby said today he is happy with the draw allocated to Military Order as he bids to saddle his third Betfred Derby winner. “He is always going to be going there with the tag as being a Derby winner's full-brother, so everyone is going to ask the questions of 'is he as good?' and 'where does he stand compared to him?' but he looks as though he is physically potentially more there and mentally more there than Adayar at this stage of his career,” Charlie Appleby said. “Regardless of that, Adayar went and won a Derby and this lad has got to go and do it now.”

Prepare For The Ride

Richard Kingscote has the chance to emulate “King Kieren” Fallon, the last jockey to win back-to-back Derbys in 2003 and 2004, on Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) who carries Workforce-like vibes into this for the Niarchos Family so far denied a Derby triumph. Sir Michael Stoute's assistant James Savage was tellingly not averse to comparing the homebred with last year's winner. “Desert Crown and Passenger are different in many ways, but one thing they are similar in is that they are both clever horses that learnt very quickly,” he said. Like the 1993 hero Commander in Chief, he only appeared for the first time at Newmarket's Craven meeting, where King Power's The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) was running second in the signature race before their subsequent coming together in York's Dante.

An Instant Impression?

Surprisingly, given the intensely competitive nature of the Derby, both Geoff Wragg in 1983 and Roger Charlton in 1990 managed to win it in their first season training with Teenoso and Quest For Fame, respectively. Charlie Johnston is attempting the feat this time with a duo including the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion), who has the edge over the Chester Vase one-two Arrest and Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and very much over Auguste Rodin having finished 17 lengths ahead of that peer in the Guineas.

Sporting the colours of “Mr Derby” Ahmad Al Shaikh, whose outsiders Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) and Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) were second in 2020 and 2022, Dubai Mile's Derby success could well have been prophesied by his owner after greeting Hoo Ya Mal. “Next year!” he had said, so no pressure there then Charlie. “He looks great and it is all systems go,” the son of Middleham legend Mark, who fared no better than second in all his tries in the Derby. “The track as we know is a variable that will be an unknown until he has tackled it, but the trip is very much viewed as a positive.”

Click here to view the TDN's Derby Special Edition.

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Been There…

What is different to most 2000 Guineas of recent times, and this is probably testament to how strong a season 2022 was for the juveniles, is this is very much one for the already-proven performers with barely an unexposed type to be seen. Only four of the line-up have not contested at least two group races and, of those, the aforementioned Sakheer and Noble Style were denied a second pattern-race outing only by training setbacks. When it comes to establishing fitting credentials for this Classic, Juddmonte's Chaldean who has the combined Frankel and Frankie factor is out on his own.

Building a head of steam throughout the perfectly-aligned G1 Dewhurst S. stepping stones of the G3 Acomb S. and G2 Champagne S. over York and Doncaster's level courses, he duly conquered the undulations of this track on Future Champions Day to bring up a treble that would have been beyond a colt with less inherent quality. Yes, he would be an extremely rare Guineas winner with a “U” in his form, having lost Dettori at the start of the G3 Greenham S., but that unfortunate incident was a mere aberration and will serve only as a curious footnote if he masters his peers once again here.

If successful, one of the operation's rare purchases will be providing Andrew Balding with a second renewal in four years with only Aidan O'Brien, Sir Michael Stoute, Saeed bin Suroor and Andre Fabre having achieved that in recent times. The new face of Kingsclere is on his way to matching the kudos enjoyed by his father but of course the emphasis is on Frankie during the Italian's long goodbye tour.

Dettori, whose own father Gianfranco came and conquered here on Bolkonski (Ire) to start a new racing dynasty back in 1975, has the least-complicated tactical conundrum of all as he outlined when offering his insights as an ambassador for World Pool. “The way I see it, the fancied ones are drawn 11-13, so it's not ideal being away from them, but Chaldean is a horse who can go and run his own race,” he said. “He's got plenty of speed, so hopefully he can get away well and be right up there from the off, just like he was in the Dewhurst and the Champagne S. His form is very solid and you know exactly what you're getting with Chaldean–he's bombproof–whereas the others have a bit to prove. It's just a case of whether the others can step up to match or better what he's shown already.”

Bad News Bear?

Supporters of Auguste Rodin, and there are many judged by the way the betting market has moved in recent weeks, will be well-served to cast their minds back to 2002 which was the last time Aidan O'Brien ran two elite performers against each other here. Rock Of Gibraltar's defeat of Hawk Wing will live long in the memory largely due to the quality of the first two, but also because of the tactical nature of the edition with the not-unfamiliar field split playing out so dramatically on that occasion. There should be no repeat of that at least, with Little Big Bear drawn alongside his much-vaunted stablemate and fellow TDN Rising Star, but there is no guarantee that Ryan Moore's pick will be able to peg back what was one of the best 2-year-olds to have emerged since Frankel.

Despite the nature of Little Big Bear's G3 Anglesey S. and G1 Phoenix S. performances, which suggested strongly that a mile would be well within his compass, there was talk of Nunthorpes until his injury cut short his campaign much as it did the yard's comparable past juvenile overlord Fasliyev. Without the proof that runs in the Vincent O'Brien National S. or Dewhurst would have provided, it is probably not far of the mark to state that even those closest to him are not sold on what type of runner he will turn out to be.

As a benchmark of brilliance, of both the permanent and precocious variety, Little Big Bear's scintillating seven-length defeat of the G2 July S. winner Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) is Guineas-winning form in practically every year, even allowing for stamina concerns. Should he use his physicality to pull away Zafonic-style in what the old school used to call “the last 2-year-old race”, nobody can be truly surprised.

Ryan Moore knows both the Rosegreen undergraduates, who he states are “the two best horses in here”, better than anybody and the man with the hardest call offered the big reveal in his Betfair blog. “Little Big Bear clearly has a lot of pace, but I personally think he will stay a mile and that makes him a very dangerous rival to all,” he said. “Auguste Rodin is an exciting prospect for the season, but hopefully for the here and now, too. But would it surprise me if Little Big Bear beat him? Not really.”

One Eye On The Commonwealth…

   A glance at the 2000 Guineas records of winners of the six-furlong G2 Richmond S. and G2 Mill Reef S. offers little statistical hope for Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Sakheer and, while the former did go close in the Dewhurst, there have to be doubts as to how they will cope with a strong-run mile on easy ground. While this renewal looks set to boast an above-average Guineas winner, it is also on the cards that it could contain a Commonwealth Cup winner once the dust has settled and the various teams regroup for Royal Ascot and Epsom.

Sakheer's connections were already in the dark about the mile and, ominously, Friday's lightning storm led to a flag start to the last race. After the double-whammy of rain on already-watered ground, they are understandably anxious. “Ideally we wouldn't want too much more rain,” KHK Racing's racing manager Chris Wall said. “I was a little exasperated to see that Michael Prosser had started to water the track, which seems rather an unnecessary thing to do, given that we have had the wettest spring for 40 years but there we go. The horse couldn't be in better condition and we're looking forward to the day. He's a very talented horse, but we're not sure yet what his best trip might be.”

Tahiyra Faces Big 1000 Guineas Field

Dermot Weld will be one trainer not unhappy to see Friday's rain after he confirmed The Aga Khan's undefeated G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine and TDN Rising Star Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) among a cast of 20 for Sunday's G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas. Handed stall 15 for the feature, the half-sister to connections' luminary Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) will be reopposed by the Moyglare runner-up and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) as Ballydoyle's lone representative after another of the stable's leading lights Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is kept back for either ParisLongchamp or The Curragh.

Chris Hayes has the task of trying to provide Weld with a first 1000 Guineas and said, “She looked terribly exciting [in the Moyglare], she seems to have wintered well so I'm looking forward to it. I'm very excited, to get on any favourite in a Classic is rare, for me it's the stuff of dreams so we'll see what we can do. Obviously, like the boss has said, there's always the question if they train on from two to three, but on her home work she appears to have and she's just a pleasure. She'll never get you excited going up the gallops but she turns it on at the races.”

Alongside Never Ending Story, Juddmonte's G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S. winner Juliet Sierra (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) was the only other not to be confirmed and Godolphin's decision to run a trio of contenders is one of many indicators that very few are running scared of the Weld filly. This is the biggest assembly since Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley) mastered 20 rivals in 2007, two years before Saeed bin Suroor enjoyed his last English Classic victory. The trainer has live prospects of ending that drought with TDN Rising Star Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who bids to confirm the form of the Jumeirah Fillies Classic with William Buick's pick of Charlie Appleby's duo, Dream Of Love (Ire) (Shamardal).

Amo Racing's Classic dream lives on through the impressive G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Mammas Girl (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who is nearest the stand's rail in 20 while on the opposite wing is Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}). She gives Ralph Beckett a strong hand along with Julian Richmond-Watson's unbeaten G3 Fred Darling S. scorer Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a fascinating encounter which could yet be shaped by the local storm.

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What Next For Waipiro?
   Another unexposed colt in the Newmarket S. is the Ed Walker-trained Waipiro (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who looked so assured over this 10-furlong trip and track at the Craven meeting. A half-brother to the Hong Kong star Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), the bay promises to spark pre-Derby excitement at the Upper Lambourn set-up much as English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) did three years ago. “We want to find out sooner or later if he is a horse who could be lining up at Epsom, so really he needs to be winning this in order to do so,” Walker said. “He's got to take another step forwards, he took a big step forwards from his debut and he's got to take another tomorrow.”

Another Hurricane Season In The Offing?
Even if the Newmarket S. does not host a genuine Derby colt, five races in there is the chance to witness one who has already traversed that particular terrain in Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Clearly, the horse who failed to beat a rival in Newbury's G3 John Porter S. is a shadow of the one who bounded out of Epsom's Blue Riband two years ago and completed a not-inconsequential treble of Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger and went close in an Arc. Will cheekpieces focus that racing mind to tune back in with the outstanding physicality? The G2 Jockey Club S., one of Newmarket's most consistently uncompetitive yet undeniably intriguing annual happenings, will tell us.

Charlie Appleby has come to use the two racecourses of the town's Heathland almost as his private domain in recent years and this is another big afternoon, especially with Godolphin's champion 2-year-old of 2021 and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) also in action in the G2 bet365 Mile. Switched from the flooded Sandown and much-changed in make-up from the version that was due to take place a week previously, it is one of two races saved from that fixture and now an ideal launchpad for the colt who looked to have the world at his feet as he went to post for the Saturday Classic 12 months ago. With a pair of colts engaged in the Newmarket S. and the course-and-distance conditions winner Majestic Pride (GB) (Shamardal) in the seven-furlong Listed King Charles II S., this is very much another day at the office for Moulton Paddocks but there is certainly no contempt in this familiarity with this verdant landscape perfectly complemented by the army in royal blue livery.

Ballydoyle Big Guns Drawn Together In Guineas Poser
   As the confirmations for Saturday's G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas were unveiled on Thursday morning, Aidan O'Brien made the only scratching of the race as he took out Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) but more importantly affirmed that there would be no ducking out of an encounter between two of the most talented colts to have raced for the stable in recent times. While the destinies of the TDN Rising Stars Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) are certain to play out independently of the other after the mile Classic, this is where they will both begin their keenly-anticipated second-season odysseys and by an act of strange fortune they were positioned alongside each other in stalls 12 and 13 respectively.

As expected, Ryan Moore has picked the potentially “special” one who comes back to England having fired his salvo the G1 Futurity Trophy in the autumn, while Wayne Lordan takes his longstanding behind-closed-doors link-up with the brilliant 2-year-old master of 2022 Little Big Bear into the open for the first time. Following The King's momentous Coronation on Saturday, talk of Crowning in this sphere will evolve around the lore of Britain's Triple, not achieved by a colt since Nijinsky in 1970. It was notable how enthusiastic O'Brien was for Auguste Rodin's prospects of this daunting feat in his Great British Racing press conference this week.
“Obviously the Triple Crown is a very hard thing to do, but sometime it would be great to do it,” he said of the colt whose pull is so potent it meant that Ryan Moore was remarkably deserted a champion 2-year-old who would have been hot property in most of the preceding renewals. “It is a difficult type of horse to find, because they have to have a lot of class and they have to have pace enough to run in the Guineas. It is really class that those horses have to have. It's pure class and class gives them stamina and gives them speed. We just thought that, at the moment, he fits into that bracket really well.”

What Effect The Draw?
Quite where Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear sit if the race becomes tactical, as it can on the Rowley Mile, remains to be seen and an unclear weather forecast leading up to Saturday does invite the possibility of watering and the prospect of favoured patches of ground. Twelve months ago, much was made of the meeting's bias toward low numbers with Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) upstaging Native Trail as they came from opposite ends of the draw on good ground. There is also the question of where the early pace lies, with Juddmonte's G1 Dewhurst S. hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who was so comfortable from the front at two being draw in stall three and Ahmad Al Shaikh's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) certain to help force the pace in six.
This is a tough Guineas to predict in terms of tactics, but as far as providing a level playing field it is Clerk of the Course Michael Prosser who has the responsibility. “We have just lightly watered the final eight furlongs, which is the quickest part of the course,” he said in his update at noon on Thursday. “The forecast has changed, basically. At this time yesterday, we were forecast rain first thing in the morning and obviously into the afternoon, so that forecast now advises those showers will be coming later. We have put down 4mm to maintain the position. The final eight furlongs is all but done.”

“Even the Saturday forecast has changed and the volumes don't look as significant, although there is a more organised band of rain coming through mid-morning Saturday through to lunchtime,” he added. “What we're being told this morning is that there might be a dry interlude during racing, which will be really helpful if that is how it unfolded.”

Buick Opts For Silver Over Style…
With memories of 12 months ago fresh in the mind, William Buick has had another difficult choice to make in the 2000 Guineas as he bids to atone for missing out on Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). While the lure of the unbeaten TDN Rising Star and G2 Gimcrack S. winner Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is obvious, he has stuck with the G3 Solario S. and G3 Autumn S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who will part from the middle stall in seven. “Noble Style is a Gimcrack winner and unbeaten, so he's a high-class horse too, but he's stepping up two furlongs to a mile,” he told QIPCO British Champions Series as he justified his choice of the colt already proven at the trip.

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A winner of four of his six starts, the G1 Dewhurst S. hero is one of two in the one-mile race for Andrew Balding. Second in the Dewhurst, G2 Richmond S. scorer Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) will attempt to turn the tables for Mrs. Fitri Hay and trainers Paul and Oliver Cole.

Ahmad Al Shaikh's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) remains in the race for Charlie Johnston, as do the Godolphin/Charlie Appleby pair of G2 Gimcrack S. winner Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

The Coolmore partners and Aidan O'Brien field a quintet led by Group 1 scorers Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never). G3 Killavullan S. hero Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) is also signed on, as is G3 2000 Guineas Trial S. winner Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Third behind Auguste Rodin and Tuesday's Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial hero Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in the Vertem Futurity Trophy, Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is one of three in the race for Karl Burke. Burke runner Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who won the G3 Craven S. over the course-and-distance of the Guineas, will also take part. Group winners Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) hail from the stable of Roger Varian.

There is also still a chance of a royal runner, as the King and Queen Consort's two-for-two Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has also retained his entry for John and Thady Gosden.

In the fillies' equivalent on Sunday, May 7, 26 nominees have stood their ground, among them Group 1 winners Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) for trainers Ralph Beckett, Aidan O'Brien, and Dermot Weld, respectively.

Beckett has also entered G3 Fred Darling S. heroine Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}), while Hugo Palmer trains the runner-up in Stenton Glider (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). Juddmonte's Juliet Siera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), a Group 3 winner, is also part of Beckett's Guineas challenge.

The first and second-place finishers from the G3 Nell Gwyn S. also have entries in Mammas Girl (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) for Richard Hannon and Fairy Cross (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby. Saeed bin Suroor's G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. heroine and G1 Cheveley Park S. third Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) has been entered. G2 May Hill S. heroine Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) for trainer Ben Pauling is also part of the fray.

O'Brien is double-fisted in the Guineas, as his G3 1000 Guineas Trial S. victress Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) defeated Kieran Cotter's Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) by 2 1/2 lengths at Leopardstown earlier this month.

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Trained by Charlie Johnston, the 3-year-old was originally pencilled in for the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante S. at York in mid-May, but connections are weighing the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero's chances in the run-up to the G1 Betfred Derby on June 3.

“We've been having a debate internally all spring really regarding what is the best route for this horse,” said Johnston. “We're pretty confident his optimum trip this year will be a mile and a half plus and you can see in his work there that he's not travelling hard on the bridle behind the other horse. He's a very laid-back horse who is behind the bridle and his last furlong is his best furlong.

“But, having won a Group 1 as a 2-year-old, your route to the Derby is narrowed down quite dramatically. You either have to have to step down in grade or you have to go to the Guineas. From an early point it's been either Guineas-Derby or Dante-Derby. The way they're in the calendar this year running in all three is pretty unrealistic.

“I've spent most of the spring leaning on the side that he should be going Dante-Derby, but Ahmad is always keen to take on a challenge and take the ambitious route–and when you've got a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, the reality is winning the Dante is not going to add anything to this horse's stallion profile, whereas finishing third in the Guineas would be a big asset to him.”

The chestnut won at second asking over a mile at Windsor last August and added an all-weather mile contest at Kempton later that month. Second over the Guineas course and distance in the G2 Royal Lodge S. in September behind Thursday's G3 bet365 Craven S. entry The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the son of Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) thrived in the heavy going at Saint-Cloud in his top-level score a month later.

Johnston added, “We're all well aware that this horse is being trained and going to be campaigned as a top-class mile-and-a-half horse, it's just what we do in the early season to get him there.

“I'd love a soft ground Guineas, then he really would be a player because we know he handles testing conditions, and one asset you can never take for granted here is he's run over the course and distance. Danny says you don't even notice the dip on him, he just floats down it and out the other side. The Guineas is not a race you go into as a prep race, but if he was running in many ways it would be a prep race for the Derby.”

Also taking a spin over the course on Wednesday was the Charlie Hills-trained two-for-two Circero's Gift (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) with Kieran Shoemark at the controls. The Rosehill Racing-owned colt worked in company with stablemate Saratoga Gold (GB) (Mayson {GB}) under Michael Hills, however, his participation in the Newmarket Classic is not definite. He won both his Newbury debut last autumn, and a Wolverhampton all-weather affair on Mar. 30.

“He worked well and had a nice little blow afterwards as well actually, so it was just what we wanted I think,” said Hills. “He's obviously had two starts and two wins and we're just trying to feel our way really and see exactly where we are and find out a bit more about him. Today he behaved great, had a nice bit of work and did what we asked him.

“We didn't really want to run in a trial and put three quick races into him. It's going to be a long season, so we'll just try to keep him as fresh as we can.

“We'll see how the week unfolds with the trials and make a decision next week. There is a conditions race at Goodwood around the same weekend as the Guineas, so that could be another route to take, but I'm pretty open-minded at the moment.

“He's a nice horse and there's only one Guineas, isn't there? If we decide against it you've got Goodwood and the Dante at York and the [G3] Hampton Court [S.] at Royal Ascot, something like that. I think I could see him stepping him up in trip later in the year.”

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Several Derby second entries were also made by Charlie Appleby on behalf of Godolphin. Leading the sextet is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while listed winner Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Ancient Rules (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also nominated.

There is also an American-trained entrant to the Blue Riband, whose connections also paid the £9,000 second entry fee–Ken McPeek entered two-for-two Mendelssohn's March (Mendelssohn). Already a winner on turf and dirt after victories at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, he will race in the colours of Harold Lerner, LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, and Team Stallion Racing Stable.

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Group 1-winning Dubai Mile (Ire), by 2018 Derby third Roaring Lion, has been entered by Charlie Johnston, who also declared Group 3-placed Dear My Friend (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for Middleham Park Racing and Michael Lai.

Dubai Mile, who prevailed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs in heavy going in October, will contest either the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 or the G2 Dante S. at York later in the month.

“Any 2-year-old that can win at Group 1 level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their 3-year-old campaign,” said Johnston. “He's obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we're going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we're very much looking forward to him.

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people's eyes and minds going forward and he's a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from–hopefully he can deliver.”

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group 1 so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I'm pretty certain he's going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn't rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”

With these late additions, the total number of nominated horses for the Epsom showpiece has grown to 103. Entries were also released for the G1 Oaks (65 entries) and G1 Coronation Cup (19 entries), both held the day prior to the Derby, on June 2.

Of the latter entries, at least three are Classic winners in the form of Godolphin's Frankel (GB) pair of Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire), and Juddmonte's Westover (GB).

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), and G2 May Hill S. victress Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) are some of the notable entries for the Oaks.

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“He came second in the Royal Lodge so, in that sense, he has exactly the same profile to [2020 winner] Gear Up,” said trainer Mark Johnston after claiming a second win in the contest. “They are similar horses in other ways and this fellow clearly looks like he stays and will stay further. It's sad that the sire's no longer with us and we've had a lot of success with his first crop.”

Reflecting on Dubai Mile's performance, Johnston added, “It's fantastic the way he has come back and it was a tremendous ride by the jockey. I think we all thought we were looking for fourth place on the bend and Daniel [Muscutt] said he felt it would have been a mistake to rush the horse when he was headed and he gradually worked back into it. That was clearly the right decision. The horse has surprised a lot of people, including us, along the way because he has a style of racing where he looks green in every race. That was his fifth race and he still looks a little bit green, but he's clearly got a tremendous attitude. When he's got something to aim at he keeps finding a bit more.”

Looking ahead, the trainer continued, “[Owner] Ahmad Al Shaikh has some very clever ideas and has helped campaign the horse very well. He was due to be sold before the Royal Lodge, but the deal was never completed. He's in the [Tattersalls] Horses-in-Training sale next week and he may yet go there.”

Pedigree Notes
Dubai Mile is the ninth foal and scorer produced by stakes-winning G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), herself the leading performer out of an unraced half-sister to G1 1000 Guineas heroine Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). Beach Bunny is kin to the dam of G3 Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg victor King David (Den) (Elusive City). The March-foaled chestnut is kin to stakes-winning dual Group 3 placegetter Naadirr (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Listed Naas Fillies Sprint victrix Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Sottsass (Fr). Beach Belle, in turn, is the dam of Listed King Charles II S. winner Surf Dancer (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €250,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 2yo, c/f, 10fT, 2:20.57, hy.
1–DUBAI MILE (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Beach Bunny (Ire) (SW & G1SP-Ire, $263,884), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Miss Hawai (Fr), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Miss Tahiti (Ire), by Tirol (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€20,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston; J-Daniel Muscutt. €142,850. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 5-3-1-0, €184,225. *1/2 to Naadirr (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MSW & GSP-Eng, GSP-Ity, $307,838; and Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Arrest (Ire), 126, c, 2, Frankel (GB)–Nisriyna (Ire), by Intikhab. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€440,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV). O-Juddmonte; B-Swordlestown Little (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. €57,150.
3–Adelaide River (Ire), 126, c, 2, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €28,575.
Margins: HD, 6, NK. Odds: 4.90, 2.30, 3.50.
Also Ran: Gan Teorainn (Ire), Sylphid (GB), Cite d'Or (Fr), Ndaawi (GB), Covent Garden (Ire), Strako (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

A Group 1 winner for Roaring Lion as a sire

Dubai Mile is tough as nails to beat Arrest in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud for @D_Muscutttt and @Johnston_Racing! pic.twitter.com/xaIDVLnQkO

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 22, 2022

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Barronstown-bred THE FOXES (Churchill @coolmorestud) shows his class in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes @NewmarketRace It marks back-to-back wins for the @AndrewBalding2 trained 2YO, who was sold by Barronstown at @Tattersalls1766 Bk1 to @SackvilleDonald pic.twitter.com/TbTqexDSnG

— BarronstownStud (@BarronstownStud) September 24, 2022

“He's matured really well this horse–both mentally and physically. He got into a lovely rhythm and handled the undulations quite well today,” Probert said of the winner who gets his title from the nickname of the Srivaddhanaprabha family's Premier League club Leicester City. “This name was always saved for a special one and they have got one. He's got a lovely temperament and the way he has galloped out today, it won't be a problem going up in trip. He's just a professional.”

Andrew Balding added, “We thought they would go a stronger gallop than that, so he has done very well to come from that position and get the job done. For King Power, we are trying to get them as many chances at Royal Ascot as we could, so we slightly rushed his programme but we always thought highly of him and had to re-group. He has an entry in the Futurity Trophy, but I think he is a horse that will go on and I'd prefer to wait until next year. Where Epsom is concerned, his brother was better over a mile and a quarter than a mile and a half, but that is something we will find out over time.”

Charlie Johnston revealed that Dubai Mile could run again in 2022. “He is still very green. He has won two novices convincingly, but he has not been in the heat of the battle. It was only when the horses came to him that he engaged into top gear. I'm sure people will pick holes in the form, but I think time will tell it was a good race. He is in the Vertem Futurity Trophy and I wouldn't rule that. He could go to the mile-and-a-quarter group one in France and I'd expect we will roll the dice in one or the other.”

The Foxes (Ire) becomes the fifth group winner for his sire and the sixth black-type winner for the stellar producer Tanaghum (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), whose previous best are the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 winner Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass), this stable's G2 York S. scorer Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the G3 Curragh Cup winner Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells). Also responsible for Churchill's Listed Her Majesty's Plate-winning 3-year-old Ballydoyle resident Perotan (Ire), she is the second dam of the four-times group 1-winning star miler and sire Ribchester (Ire) and this year's G2 Vintage S. winner Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

The second dam Mehthaaf (Nureyev), who landed the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, is kin to the G1 July Cup hero Elnadim (Danzig) and to Only Seule (Lyphard), who produced the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and G1 Prix de la Foret heroine Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}). She is in turn the dam of the GI Arlington Million hero Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and is the second dam of Galileo's G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning sire Intello (Ger). Tanaghum's filly foal is a full-sister to The Foxes.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE ROYAL LODGE S.-G2, £125,000, Newmarket, 9-24, 2yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:43.66, gd.
1–THE FOXES (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Churchill (Ire)
     1st Dam: Tanaghum (GB) (SP-Eng), by Darshaan (GB)
     2nd Dam: Mehthaaf, by Nureyev
     3rd Dam: Elle Seule, by Exclusive Native
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-David Probert. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-0, $96,445. *1/2 to Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells), GSW-Ire, SW & GSP-Eng, $142,213; to Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}), MGSW-Eng, SP-Qa, $926,107; to Yaazy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Fr; & to Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass), G1SW-UAE, SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Ire, $780,089. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dubai Mile (Ire), 128, c, 2, Roaring Lion–Beach Bunny (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€20,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston. £26,875.
3–Flying Honours (GB), 128, c, 2, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Powder Snow, by Dubawi (Ire).
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £13,450.
Margins: HF, SHD, 3/4. Odds: 8.50, 16.00, 0.29.
Also Ran: Greenland (Ire).

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1st-Kempton, £6,800, Nov, 8-24, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:42.35, st/sl.
DUBAI MILE (IRE) (c, 2, Roaring Lion–Beach Bunny {Ire} {SW & G1SP-Ire, $263,884}, by High Chaparral {Ire}), a €20,000 Goffs Orby graduate penalised seven pounds for breaking through in an extended-mile test at Windsor earlier this month, broke sharply and raced on the lead from flagfall here. Scrubbed along to maintain control approaching the final quarter mile, the 6-5 favourite was safely clear passing the eighth pole and kept on powerfully in the closing stages to easily defeat 13-8 market rival Super Mo (Uncle Mo) by an impressive four lengths, becoming trainer Mark Johnston's 5,000th winner. “I liked him a lot when I won on him at Windsor, he was fairly raw and made his own running that day too,” said rider Daniel Muscutt of the G2 Royal Lodge S. entry. “He didn't really engage until horses came to him last time and he put himself in the right position again today. He travelled much smoother through the early part of the race, with a bit of company, and as soon as I gave him the office in the straight he dropped his head to the floor and galloped away. That seems to be a trait of the few Roaring Lions I have ridden. He's a big baby and has plenty of scope and, next year, he'll be a nice 3-year-old over a little bit further. He's got a great action, he's a well-balanced colt and covers a lot of ground. He's a nice horse and, hopefully, he'll keep improving.” Reflecting on his unique achievement, Johnston added, “It's obviously a bit different from breaking the [British] record in 2018, you could say no one has reached 4,194 winners, so it's not as if I'm breaking new ground. It's just another landmark and setting the bar higher for people to try to reach. The main thing is the whole business revolves around winners and a lot of winners means a lot of happy owners and, hopefully, we can continue doing the same thing. The most important thing is Charlie's now getting credit for something that he's been doing for quite some time in the business. It's certainly part of the plan that he will take over at some stage in the relatively near future, but we don't know when that will be.” Dubai Mile is the ninth foal and winner produced by stakes-winning G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), herself the leading performer out of an unraced half to G1 1000 Guineas heroine Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The March-foaled chestnut is kin to stakes-winning dual Group 3 placegetter Naadirr (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Listed Naas Fillies Sprint victrix Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Sottsass (Fr). Beach Belle, in turn, is the dam of Listed King Charles II S. winner Surf Dancer (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Sales history: €20,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $9,379.
O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston.

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