O’Brien’s Cazoo Derby Team Being Finalised

The G1 Cazoo Derby field is currently at 19, with as many as six Aidan O'Brien colts set to compete, including the ante-post favourite dual Group 3 winner Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G2 Beresford S. hero and G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. third High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was the Derby favourite over the winter. French Group 1 winner Van Gogh (American Pharoah), third in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas is possible, although he is also one of 20 left in the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. O'Brien also has two-time winners Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the Leopardstown winner The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). However, a final call on which Ballydoyle horses will step forward in the Blue Riband will be made on Wednesday.

“It's not definite yet what we're sending,” said the master of Ballydoyle. “They've all done their last piece of work this morning and that is being analysed at the moment.

“When the figures come back from all those works, they'll be sent to the lads [owners] this evening. They'll be blooded and scoped in the morning and we'll have the results of that at lunchtime tomorrow or a little bit later. After that we'll see what the lads want to do.

“Obviously with Bolshoi Ballet, this has been his target all the way. High Definition the same, but he didn't have a clear passage obviously to York. Kyprios and Sir Lamorak both have other options, The Mediterranean is in at Leopardstown on Thursday and Van Gogh has an option of going to France [for the French Derby on Sunday]. Everything went well this morning and it's so far so good with them.”

“I think it's very competitive.,” O'Brien said of this year's Derby entries. “There's horses that have come from different trials over different trips and I think they all have to be respected.

“For me, there is no doubt the Derby is the most important race of all. The whole thoroughbred breed is measured by the Derby–because it's the most gruelling race and tough on horses.”

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Varian Provides Update on Epsom Classic Quartet

Trainer Roger Varian has one colt and a trio of fillies pointing to the G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 Cazoo Oaks on June 5 and 4, respectively. However, Varian, who has only had a single Derby starter previously when second with Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in 2014, is very aware of the unique challenge the Epsom Downs offers to young 3-year-olds.

“I think it's a fascinating Derby,” said Varian, who recently saddled his 1,000th winner. “It looks an open Derby and a very good Derby. There are a lot of different types of horses and for a racing fan it looks fascinating. We are delighted to be involved in it and are concentrating just on our guy.

“The Derby and Oaks are unique. The Epsom test is unique in the whole racing industry globally. We need to get through the next eight or nine days with our contenders without mishap and are very much looking forward to it.”

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has been pleasing Varian in his development ahead of the Blue Riband. Fifth at first asking at Kempton in November, the bay has not tasted defeat since. He found the Nottingham turf to his liking in a 10-furlong maiden race  on Apr. 17, and also captured the Listed Novibet Derby Trial S. as a 14-1 outsider at Lingfield in soft going on May 8.

“I really liked how he had trained between Nottingham and Lingfield and thought he'd run a nice race, so I was obviously delighted with the way it panned out and the ability he showed,” said Varian.

“Although there was a tail wind that day in the straight, it was hard work for the horses in front so I thought David [Egan] gave him clever ride by giving him some cover and shelter from the wind early on. What I was really impressed with was not the winning margin or that he was in front two out and had to hold on–it was the ease by which he got into contention. I love when I watch races the visual impression you get and he looked the best horse in the race.

“I think he has the right attitude for the Derby or for any big race. He seems to conserve energy and is not a flashy worker at home, he just does what you ask him to. His recovery from Lingfield was very quick. You don't want to waste energy in the paddock, on the way to the start, behind the gates or in the first two furlongs. He has got the right mind for the job, we've still got to learn if he's got the engine to bring home The Derby.

“He's not a big horse, you'd call him medium at best, but is very well-balanced and has got gate speed. I'm quite confident he is going to get the trip.

Third Realm will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni in the Derby. The pair worked on Wednesday.

Varian added, “He ticks a lot of the boxes that you want going into the race and he gave Andrea a nice feel yesterday in his last serious piece of work going into the race. We are very much looking forward to the day. He has a great mind, a relaxed character and bit of a cool dude, so whatever Epsom throws at him on the day I would be hopeful he can pass that test.

“We are obviously delighted with how he has progressed. We will have to see how many runners there are at Epsom and where we are drawn and what the ground is, but I think he is the kind of horse Andrea can put anywhere and that is comforting coming into a race like The Derby.”

 

Varian Trio in Good Order For Oaks

Ali Saeed's Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), third last out in the May 12 G3 Tattersalls Musidora S., is one of three G1 Cazoo Oaks prospects for Varian. Second over the all-weather at Newcastle on Oct. 30, she graduated in her second start there stepping up to 10 furlongs on Nov. 19. The Musidora was her 3-year-old bow.

He said, “She is a big, strong, energetic filly and had a lot of fizz on the day at York [in the Musidora]. She got a little upset at the starting gates. She over-raced a little bit off a very steady gallop. She made a nice move in the straight and then probably got tired in the final 100 yards. There were a lot of positives to take from the race, the biggest being able to give her a day out.

“Of course, the Oaks presents a different sort of challenge and a different sort of test, but I think she is extremely talented and I hope that on the day she does not make the juvenile mistakes she made at York.”

Winless in one start at two, Save A Forest (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) progressed to a maiden win two starts later at Wolverhampton over 9 1/2 furlongs on Mar. 27. She doubled down with a handicap win at Windsor on Apr. 19 and was an encouraging second in the Listed Novibet Oaks Trial Fillies' S. at Lingfield on May 8.

“She has taken a giant step forward after each start of her career and I would anticipate another good step forward from Lingfield,” Varian continued. “Even if you look at her Windsor handicap win, I think the second has since won by six or seven lengths so the form looks quite solid.

“She is an interesting filly–she is very laidback at home and doesn't give us any clues or anything away in her homework. But I love any animals, fillies or colts, who take a step forward with each run. The exciting thing about her is that you don't know when she will reach her ceiling. However she runs in the Oaks, I can almost guarantee it will be a good deal better than at Lingfield as that is the pattern of her progress.”

Rounding out Varian's trio is Shadwell's four-for-three listed winner Zeyaadah (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}).The homebred rattled off a trio of wins-over the Chelmsford all-weather in August, a Sept. 16 novice at Beverley and she capped her juvenile season with a victory in the Listed Montrose Fillies' S. in heavy going at Newmarket on Halloween. In her season opener at Chester, she was only a length off the winner in second in the Listed Cheshire Oaks on May 5.

Despite Zeyaadah's loss, Varian was unperturbed and said, “I was delighted with her at Chester–the visual impression was very good. I know that Jim [Crowley] got a mighty feel from her as he was buzzing when he got off and we think it was a very good run in defeat.

“I hope she will stay, although she is not guaranteed to on pedigree, being by Tamayuz but middle-distance lines in her family should give her a chance, Her running style also gives her a chance.

“She has a relaxed style of running, is a good-moving filly, well-balanced and can quicken so I would hopeful over a trip. I thought if I had had another 10 days she would have been spot on for Chester but I ran her because of the timeframe and led me to think it was a very good run at Chester. I think there is good deal of improvement there.”

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Derby Still Plan For Gear Up

Group 1 winner Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is still pointing to the G1 Cazoo Derby over 1 1/2 miles on June 5, according to connections. The colt, who won the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs last term, ran fifth in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York in mid-May. The bay also scooped the G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at two.

Charlie Johnston, son and assistant trainer to father Mark, said, “Gear Up is still Epsom bound. Although he is a 33-1 shot, I think, he deserves his place in the line-up as a Group 1-winning 2-year-old and it would be no surprise to see him finish in the money.

“I don't think he needs that kind of severe testing ground on which he won his Group 1 on last season, it is more the fact it inconveniences other horses. The extra test of stamina here will suit him as we expect him to be a strong stayer at a mile and a half.”

Regarding the colt's performance in the Dante, Johnston added, “I thought it was one of those runs in the Dante at York that was not a bad run but it was not a particularly good run–it was just okay.

“I thought he was in a reasonably good pitch and I would have not swapped him three furlongs out. I thought of those chasing the leaders he looked the most likely at that point.

“The eventual first and second had another gear than him from two out and he plugged on one pace at the finish.  He is sure to be better over an extra two furlongs.”

Noon Star Hoping to Shine Bright in Oaks
Another Classic aspirant who is sure to enjoy 1 ½ miles is Juddmonte's Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}), who is on target for the G1 Cazoo Oaks on June 4. From four starts to date, the daughter of MG1SW and Oaks bridesmaid Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has a win over 8 ½ furlongs at Nottingham last October after running third on debut at Salisbury the month prior. At three, she captured a novice over 10 furlongs at Wetherby in April and ran second in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York on May 12.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Juddmonte, said of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly, “The family are happy for the filly to go for the Oaks, so in principle she will go but the final decision will be made over the weekend. It was a bit of a muddling race at York, but that having being said it was the same for everyone. We would have liked to have seen more pace but it didn't materialise.

“There is plenty of stamina in her pedigree and from that point of view a mile and a half in either the Oaks, and/or G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot should play to her strengths as it were. It was a smart enough race at York and she has come out of it in good shape.”

On the same day as the Oaks, William Muir's Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire})) will step out in the G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup S. The 4-year-old colt was second in the G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket on May 1. As a 3-year-old, Pyledriver saluted the judge in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot and in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. on either side of an unplaced run in the G1 Investec Derby.

“Everything's gone to plan–his work's been great,” said Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick. “He's on target to go where we've said–right from day one, we've said that was his target, so he'll go to Epsom a week on Friday.”

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Cazoo Derby Festival and Coral-Eclipse Day Receive Prize Money Boosts

The Cazoo Derby Festival on June 4-5 and Coral-Eclipse Day on July 3 both received an increase in prize money, The Jockey Club announced on Tuesday. Limited spectators returning to racecourses, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, was cited for the increases.

Held at Epsom Downs Racecourse, the Cazoo Derby Festival's purses were increased 12% across the 11 non-Group 1 races. None of the races over the two-day stand will be run for less than £40,000 and no handicaps will be worth less than £50,000. The Cazoo Derby is still worth £1,125,000, the G1 Cazoo Oaks will keep its purse of £375,000 and the G1 Coronation Cup S. has an unchanged prize money of £315,000.

At Sandown Park, prize money has been raised 18% to £900,000 for the entire card. The G1 Coral-Eclipse, part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, has an increased purse of £600,000, and the Coral Charge H. is now worth £75,000, an increase of £25,000. In addition, two races normally run the day prior to Coral-Eclipse Day have been moved to July 3-the £40,000 Coral Day H. and the £25,000 coral.co.uk H.

Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs and Sandown Park, said: “It has been a difficult time for us at The Jockey Club, as it has been for everyone, and in several ways that remains the case. Racegoers generate around 50% of our revenues and so with them away from our 15 racecourses for so long our finances have been significantly impacted and remain so as the pandemic continues.

“However, now we are starting to be allowed a very limited number of spectators back, we are immediately taking the opportunity to boost prize money. Therefore I am pleased to confirm we are able to increase the value of the non-Group 1 races across both days of The Cazoo Derby Festival by 12% and with the prospect of more spectators at Sandown Park, we're committing to boost prize money for Coral-Eclipse Day by 18% above currently advertised values.

“Owners who put so much into the sport have been incredibly patient during the pandemic and this period of huge uncertainty. All of us at The Jockey Club are keen that as soon as the financial picture improves we see that reflected in prize money funding, which is always a top priority at Jockey Club Racecourses.”

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