Last year's G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {Ire}), third on seasonal debut in the G2 Dante S. May 14 and among the leading fancies for the G1 Epsom Derby June 6, pleased his connections in a racecourse gallop at Epsom's Breakfast With The Stars Tuesday. Elm Park sat behind a lead horse under jockey Andrea Atzeni rounding Tattenham Corner before quickening in the lane to finish on top.
“I was pleased, and thought it was a nice bit of work,” said Atzeni. “He traveled well behind his lead horse, who went a nice, even gallop. I let him stretch his legs coming down the hill and he cruised to the front and quickened up well. He had a good look in front and wandered around a bit, but he was entitled to, as he's never been here before.”
Trainer Andrew Balding added of the Qatar Racing colorbearer, “The main thing was to let him have a feel for the track. It was not a fact-finding mission.”
“He had a hard race in the Dante but, to my surprise, by the Monday morning he was fresh and well,” Balding added. “You always worry the first run back after a long layoff may drag them back but he seems fine.”
Elm Park leads an international team of Derby contenders for Sheikh Fahad, which also includes Monday's G2 German Guineas scorer Karpino (Ger) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and G2 Prix Greffulhe winner Sumbal (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who would both have to be supplemented.
“Karpino has come out of the race in great form,” said David Redvers, Qatar Racing's racing manager. “The big shame is that the German Guineas comes about 10 days too late and doesn't really give a big enough window, but we will see how he goes in the next few days. [Trainer] Andreas [Wohler] has talked about him being a King George or Arc horse. It was the fastest time in the last 20 years of the German Guineas and he was never off the bridle at any stage. To do that over a mile is quite staggering, as he is bred to be a mile-and-a-half horse.”
Redvers added Sumbal is unlikely for the English Derby.
“A decision will be made later this week and I would say that the French Derby is the favorite at the moment,” he noted.
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