Tag: Epsom

Kingman’s Epictetus Takes The Blue Riband Trial

Trying the contours of Epsom in Tuesday's 10-furlong Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial, TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) executed the plan by making a smooth winning return under Frankie Dettori without convincing that the mile-and-a-half trip of the Derby is the way to go. Sent off the 2-5 favourite on the back of his second in the G1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October, George Strawbridge's son of the G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine travelled comfortably in third until asked to take command approaching two out. Looking likely to stretch his rivals soon after, the John and Thady Gosden-trained homebred tired late and had only 3/4 of a length to spare over the Charlie Johnston-trained novice scorer Hadrianus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at the line.

“It was very testing conditions today,” John Gosden said. “Frankie said he was a little bit lonely in front and he got to the front sooner than he wanted. He has wintered well and is a grand horse, but he hasn't been training on that. He has gone and done it well and shown a good attitude, but just in the end he was looking about a bit and getting tired.”

Whether Epictetus eventually comes back here for the Derby or to Chantilly for the G1 Prix du Jockey Club is up in the air, with the May 18 G2 Dante S. set to provide more clues. “We will go to the Dante and take it from there,” Gosden Sr added. “He may well be more a Prix du Jockey Club horse. Certainly his pedigree might indicate that. We will get to the Dante and make a decision.”

 

Epictetus is the fifth foal out of Thistle Bird, who also captured two renewals of the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. A half to the dual group 3 winner and G1 Cantala S. runner-up McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}), she is out of the triple listed-winning G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest third Dolma (Fr) (Marchand de Sable). Thistle Bird's daughter Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who captured the G3 Valiant S. and Listed Radley S. and was runner-up in the G3 Fred Darling S., was a 1.25million gns purchase by M V Magnier at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, while she also has the unraced 3-year-old colt Burrito (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

WEATHERBYS DIGITAL SOLUTIONS BLUE RIBAND TRIAL-Listed, £50,000, Epsom, 4-25, 3yo, 10f 17yT, 2:20.00, sf.
1–EPICTETUS (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
     1st Dam: Thistle Bird (GB) (G1SW-Ire, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $577,634), by Selkirk
     2nd Dam: Dolma (Fr), by Marchand De Sable
     3rd Dam: Young Manila, by Manila
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. £28,355. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 4-2-2-0, $110,052. *1/2 to Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), GSW-Eng, $123,850; 1/2 to Bullfinch (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), SP-Aus, $193,673.
2–Hadrianus (Ire), 129, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Laugh Out Loud (GB), by Clodovil (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE. (62,000gns Ylg '21 TADEY). O-Susan and John Waterworth; B-C O P Hanbury (IRE); T-Charlie Johnston. £10,750.
3–Cite d'Or (Fr), 124, f, 3, Galiway (GB)–Tin Rebel (Fr), by Tin Horse (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE. (€10,000 Ylg '21 ARQAU; 17,000gns RNA 2yo '22 TATBRG; €43,000 2yo '22 ARQJUL). O-Nick Bradley Racing 18; B-Mme C Vitse, G Vitse & P Decouz (FR); T-Harry Eustace. £5,380.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 6HF. Odds: 0.40, 9.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Think First (Ire), Stormbuster (GB). Scratched: Intricacy (GB).

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Observations: Epictetus Returns in Blue Riband Trial

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's insights feature the return of Group 1-placed Epictetus (Ire) at Epsom.

14.25 Epsom, Listed, £50,000, 3yo, 10f 17yT
EPICTETUS (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) makes his eagerly-awaited 3-year-old bow in this Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial, which should be his for the taking if he is able to replicate the form of his second in the G1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October. Also runner-up in the G3 Autumn S., George Strawbridge's son of the G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk) is one of John and Thady Gosden's bigger guns on the trial to the blue riband itself on the first Saturday in June. Up against him is KHK Racing's Wolverhampton novice scorer Intricacy (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Simon and Ed Crisford-trained relative of Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) who was a €750,000 purchase at the Arqana Deauville August Sale.

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Betfred Named as Derby Sponsor

Betfred has been announced as the new sponsor of the Derby, described by the company's founder Fred Done as “greatest Flat race in the world”. In a deal initially lasting three years, the bookmaking firm will also sponsor the Oaks. This year's meeting takes place on June 2 and 3.

The largest independent bookmaker in Britain, with 1,400 high street shops,  Betfred has also expanded into South Africa and currently operates across 10 American states. The company was racing's biggest sponsor between 2011 and 2018, its backing including the ßCheltenham Gold Cup, G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock, Newmarket's Cambridgeshire and Cesarewitch, and York's prestigious Ebor Handicap. Betfred is also the official betting partner of Ascot racecourse and Royal Ascot.

“I am immensely proud to sponsor the Derby and the Oaks. For me, the Derby remains the greatest Flat race in the world,” Done said. 

“When you look at some of the horses and characters that have won this great race, Sea-Bird, Mill Reef, Nijinsky, Sir Gordon Richards, Lester Piggott, and Frankie Dettori, it has an amazing history and I am delighted to become a part of it for at least the next three years.”

The Jockey Club's chief executive Nevin Truesdale added, “We're delighted that Betfred have agreed to be the sponsor of the Derby and the Oaks.

“Betfred's support of British racing over many years has been superb and we're proud to be working with Fred Done and his team on its next chapter, to promote these two iconic races on the first weekend in June.”

 

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Yearling Entry Stage for Derby to be Scrapped

The Derby will move away from its traditional yearling entry stage and will operate on a solely three-year-old entry system from the 2024 running of the Classic.

A statement released on Thursday by Jockey Club Racecourses, which owns Epsom Downs, home of the Derby and the Oaks, read, “The move comes following discussion with stakeholders and after a three-year-old only entry system worked well for the 2022 race, when the yearling entry stage due to take place in 2020 was not considered feasible due to the pandemic.

“As such, the yearling entry stage for the 2024 race which would traditionally take place in early December will not take place. Further information regarding the prize fund, entry stages and structure for the 2024 Derby will be available via the usual process and publications next year, including the Flat Pattern Book and Programme Book.”

In 2021, online car retailer Cazoo was announced as the new sponsor of the Derby meeting, but that arrangement has now come to an end. Next year's Derby, which closed for yearling entries last December, has a prize-money pool of £1.5 million. The remaining entry stages will be at the traditional stages next spring.

“The yearling entry system is something we have always considered annually before confirming, as we are constantly striving to ensure all aspects of The Derby are optimised for changing behaviours and trends within the sport and the wider world,” said Andrew Cooper, head of racing and clerk of the course at Epsom Downs.

“The pandemic gave us an opportunity to test whether a three-year-old system would work, and having consulted participants prior to, during and since it took place earlier this year, our view is that the increased flexibility that removing the yearling stage brings is more reflective of how trainers and owners now tend to operate.”

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