Cracking The Code

Two years on from Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) dominating the G2 Betfred Dante S., Anthony Oppenheimer and John Gosden are back at York on Thursday with another unbeaten colt on Derby tracks in Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Less zippy than his illustrious predecessor, the descendant of the 1000 Guineas heroine On the House nevertheless possesses the same kind of aura as he puts his Epsom prospects on the line. Already proven at the home of the blue riband, having beaten the subsequent Listed Newmarket S. winner Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the Investec Derby Trial over 10 furlongs on Apr. 26, he has form on good-to-soft having won on that surface on debut at Newmarket in October. Connections are fearful that current conditions may prove too much, however, and were non-committal about his chances of lining up after racing at York on Wednesday. “I'll have a good talk with Mr Oppenheimer, as it is tight this year with just two weeks between the Dante and Derby and consequently we have genuine concerns,” trainer John Gosden said at the rain-soaked course. “He is in great form and I'm thrilled with him, but no-one is going to have an easy race out there and then you've got just 16 days to the Derby. We'll decide what we think is the right thing to do. On the other hand, he needs the experience to race if we are even to consider Epsom.” Anthony Oppenheimer added, “I think as long as the ground doesn't go heavy, we'll be happy to run. Cracksman's dam, Rhadegunda, actually loved soft ground. In her last-ever race, she won a listed race in France on heavy going. If it's heavy we've a decision to make, but as long as it's soft, good-to-soft, I don't see a problem.”

Both Aidan and Joseph O'Brien are represented, with the former looking to Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) to provide an early highlight in his training career. In Leopardstown's G3 Ballysax S. on Apr. 8, Lloyd Williams's bay mastered Ballydoyle's Galileo trio of Douglas Macarthur (Ire), Yucatan (Ire) and Capri (Ire), who went on to fill the first three places in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. “He's a quite laid-back horse, so it's very hard to know how good he is,” Joseph explained. “He never is a horse that sparkles at home, so you have to kind of take things for granted and look forward to him on the racecourse. At the minute, he has all the credentials to be an Epsom Derby candidate. I suppose he has to go to York and show us that he is.” Aidan saddles Exemplar (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was third when last seen behind Capri and Yucatan in The Curragh's G2 Beresford S. in September.

Godolphin is on a fact-finding mission with its quartet, headed by 'TDN Rising Star' Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was third behind Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Rivet (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket on Apr. 20. “He didn't really handle the ground at Newmarket. It was too quick for him. He will prefer easy ground,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented. “His last piece of work was very good and he has been improving all the time at home. We know he needs this step up in trip.” Another 'TDN Rising Star', Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), takes part and Sir Evelyn de Rothschild's impressive Nottingham maiden winner has been the subject of an ante-post Derby gamble. He bids to provide Sir Michael Stoute with a seventh renewal, which would equal the record of the late Sir Henry Cecil, but his trainer is not adding fuel to the fire. “We have been bringing him along steadily and I doubt he is a Derby horse,” he simply said.