Sir Michael Stoute and Kieren Fallon have combined to taste G1 Investec Epsom Derby success twice in the past and the pair look set to team up again in the Epsom showpiece June 4. Fallon has been booked to ride Across The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Stoute and owner Saeed Suhail, in whose colours Fallon steered Kris Kin (Kris S) to a Derby victory in 2003. The owner's racing manager Bruce Raymond confirmed the arrangement saying, “Kieren rode Across The Stars this morning and I gather he will ride him again when Sir Michael works him tomorrow. If he runs in the Derby, I'm sure Kieren will ride him.
He won on Kris Kin for Saeed Suhail, so he was very keen to use him and he obviously has plenty of experience around Epsom.” Given the open nature of this year's renewal connections are entitled to be upbeat about their Derby chances and Across The Stars, whose sire won the race in 2009, ran a nice prep in the Listed Betfred Derby Trial S. at Lingfield May 7. He finished third that day behind Humphrey Bogart (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) but a trouble free passage would surely have seen him finish closer. “He got a bit of a bump at Lingfield and then got himself in a bit of a muddle,” said Raymond. “I think he would have won there if things had gone his way. He'll stay well [at Epsom] and we're hoping for a good run,” he added.
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