Derby

Last year's Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will miss the Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown, according to his trainer Charlie Appleby, who has nominated the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot next month as the most likely destination for the 4-year-old's return.  Adayar has not run this season and had already been ruled out of the Coronation Cup at Epsom after suffering a minor setback.  However, Appleby has reported Adayar to be back in full work and, while he won't be ready in time for the Prince...

He has been branded a pessimist by Sir Michael Stoute for admitting as much, but Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock, who bought Cazoo Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), believes Saturday's achievement will never be topped. Brown, a renowned bloodstock agent with over 20 years of experience in the game, went to 280,000gns to secure Desert Crown on behalf of Saeed Suhail at Book 2 at Tattersalls in 2020 and counts himself as extremely lucky to have sourced what he believes is a once-in-a-lifetime colt.  "I ended up at...

Kick-starting a new weekly Q&A series in TDN Europe, former champion trainer John Oxx, whose spellbinding career will forever be remembered through his masterful handling of Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and Ridgewood Pearl (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), sat down with Brian Sheerin to talk all things racing and breeding. The dual Derby-winning trainer speaks about Epsom, how delighted he is that Sea The Stars has a top-notch miler in Baaeed and his life in retirement.   Brian Sheerin: There are few weeks in...

Steve Cauthen, the American jockey who enjoyed huge success when riding in the UK-including Derby victories aboard Slip Anchor and Reference Point--remembered the greatest of them all, Lester Piggott, who died on Sunday, aged 86.  Recalling what started out as a frosty relationship between the pair, Cauthen, who will form part of ITV Racing's presentation team at this year's Derby meeting, paid a glowing tribute to his great friend and rival.  Cauthen said, "As time went on, obviously we became competitors, as I started to get chances on better horses...

Charlie Appleby has confirmed that Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) will be supplemented at a cost of £75,000 for the G1 Cazoo Derby on June 4 after sparkling in what was a crucial workout on Wednesday. The Moulton Paddocks handler already had two contenders for this year's renewal of the premier Classic in Blue Riband Trial winner Nahanni (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). But after giving that pair an experience of Epsom at the Cazoo Gallops Morning on Monday, Appleby revealed...

Connections of G1 Cazoo Derby favourite Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) were left purring after a scintillating exercise gallop on Thursday as Sir Michael Stoute put the finishing touches on what could become the legendary trainer's sixth win in the Classic. Stoute will forever be remembered for managing Shergar (Ire) to win the Derby in 1981 and followed up on that breakthrough success in the race with Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003), North Light (Ire) (2004) and Workforce (GB) (2010). Desert Crown advertised the trainer's claims of bolstering his Derby...

Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett (GB) will carry the hopes of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing in the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday week after connections ruled out running the promising Lysander (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the Epsom Classic. Runner-up to Derby favourite Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Dante S. at York a fortnight ago, Royal Patronage will bid to reverse that form at Epsom, while Listed Cocked Hat S. third Lysander will be aimed at Royal Ascot following his defeat at Goodwood. Highclere's Harry Herbert said: "We had...

Charlie Appleby has hinted at supplementing Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) for the Cazoo Derby on Saturday week and suggested that the decision hinges on how the colt performs in a key piece of work on Wednesday morning. Nations Pride has won his last four starts and, while he did not take part in the gallops morning at Epsom on Monday, he dominated conversation with Appleby revealing that he was leaning towards stumping up the £75,000 supplementation fee to run in the Derby.  A general 10-1 chance for Derby glory,...

Ralph Becket is a man who knows a thing or two about Epsom glory, given he trained Look Here (GB) (Hernando {GB}) and Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) to win the Oaks, and he will be bidding to make the Cazoo Derby breakthrough with Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was reported to have had a positive experience at the track on Monday.  Meanwhile, Roger Varian revealed that 2000 Guineas fourth Eydon (Ire) (Olden Times {GB}) was not a certain starter in the Derby, despite the fact the trainer was impressed...

Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will not return to the scene of his greatest triumph for the G1 Coronation Cup after a bout of coughing held up his preparation for his intended comeback at Epsom on June 3. Last year's Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner will head instead to Royal Ascot. "Adayar was an intended runner some months ago but he just met with a minor setback in that he was coughing so I eased off him for a week," said Charlie Appleby via a video...

Can we have too much of a good thing? When it comes to racing in the spring the answer is almost certainly not, but the rapidity with which all the decent action takes place can make it difficult to take it all in. For example, in the last 11 days we have had three Derby favourites. First the horse who had held that honour all winter, Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who was then replaced by his stable-mate Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), all the rage after his Derby Trial victory...

For Aidan O'Brien it had been a week of mostly ups, with one major down. On Friday morning, the winter favourite for the Derby, Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), was found to be lame behind after exercise, having been shortened in the betting for Epsom following his third-placed finish in the 2000 Guineas. By Sunday he had been ruled out of the Derby completely, just as another potential star emerged from the Ballydoyle battalions in the hugely impressive Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). A maiden until the end of March on...