Derby showpiece tops Classic week
All roads lead to Epsom this week as this year’s Classic crop put their tall reputations on the line at the Vodafone Derby meeting.
Despite all the big-race hype, it is now time to let the horses do the talking and Motivator, owned by the 230-strong Royal Ascot Racing Club, looks a worthy favourite for the blue riband.
Winner of the Dante Stakes at York, Motivator is unbeaten in three starts but he faces a fascinating clash with Godolphin’s Dubawi.
The turbo-charged Irish 2000 Guineas winner will bid to succeed where his talismanic sire Dubai Millennium failed and lift the Group One prize – giving Frankie Dettori a first race win in the process.
Saturday’s Derby is certainly the main event but Friday’s card is one for the ladies with the Vodafone Oaks topping the bill.
Eswarah will try to emulate her dam, the brilliant Guineas and Oaks winner Midway Lady, in the fillies’ showpiece and she is the current ante-post favourite.
Warrsan, meanwhile, is set to try for an historic hat-trick in the Vodafone Coronation Cup, the other main event on the Oaks card.
Clive Brittain’s hardy seven-year-old equalled the feat of two successive wins in the mile-and-a-half race last year but a third victory would set him in a class of his own.
For those punters who prefer a bit of quantity over quality there are plenty of other contests to keep the interest with the Vodafone Rosebowl and Vodafone ‘Dash’ Stakes two of the handicap highlights.
Away from Epsom, another bumper Bank Holiday is on offer with Sandown staging the bonusprint.com Henry II Stakes on Monday.
However, one of the most intriguing clashes of the week comes at the Esher track on Tuesday evening when last year’s Derby winner North Light is due to meet with top older horse Mubtaker in the betfair.com Brigadier Gerard Stakes.
Both horses were rerouted from their initial targets at Goodwood and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top.
Beverley’s popular Wednesday evening meeting is also worth a mention with the Listed Hilary Needler Trophy the main event.
This five-furlong dash has marked out some quality fillies in the past – not least Attraction two years ago – so the winner may be one for the notebook.
Fixtures (FLAT in capitals):
Monday: Cartmel, CHEPSTOW, LEICESTER, REDCAR (CH4), SANDOWN (CH4).
Tuesday: CARLISLE, Hexham (evening), LEICESTER, REDCAR, SANDOWN (evening).
Wednesday: BEVERLEY (evening), NEWCASTLE, NOTTINGHAM, SOUTHWELL (evening), YARMOUTH.
Thursday: BRIGHTON, HAMILTON, HAYDOCK, SANDOWN (evening), Uttoxeter (evening).
Friday: EPSOM (BBC), GOODWOOD (evening), HAYDOCK (evening), THIRSK, WOLVERHAMPTON.
Saturday: CHEPSTOW (evening), DONCASTER (CH4), EPSOM (BBC), HAYDOCK (CH4), LINGFIELD (evening).
Sunday: BATH, Perth, Stratford.
