Eddery snapped up for great derby ride
Pat Eddery has got off Terry Mills’ Let Me Try Again to ride the Aidan O’Brien-trained The Great Gatsby in the Vodafone Derby.
Three-time race winner Eddery had been the intended partner for Mills’ Sadler’s Wells colt, who was runner up in the Lingfield Derby Trial, but the 11-times champion has now chosen to ride The Great Gatsby.
Eddery, who has won the Epsom Classic on Grundy (1975), Golden Fleece (1982) and Quest For Fame (1990), confirmed he will now take the O’Brien mount.
He told attheraces: “Christy Grassick from Coolmore Stud rang and asked if I would definitely ride and I rang him back.
“I’m sorry to let Terry Mills down, I think his horse will run well but it looks like The Great Gatsby’s quite a good horse and he’s improving.”
The Great Gatsby was last seen on the track when a head second to leading fancy Alamshar in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and Eddery believes that form will stand the colt in good stead.
“It only comes once a year and he’s a Sadler’s Wells colt, he’s on the up so you never know,” he added.
“He just got caught by Alamshar so he’s got to have a good chance and I’m looking forward to riding him.”
Despite rejecting the ride on Let Me Try Again, Eddery believes Mills’ horse will still have a fair chance at Epsom.
“He’s an improving horse and every race he’s stepping up and he stayed well at Lingfield, maybe he’ll step up again on that,” he explained.
“I just thought if it was soft ground it would help him because I’m sure he’d be better with give but you always get beautiful ground at Epsom on the day.
“It’s difficult with the Derby because when you get offered a really nice horse like Aidan O’Brien’s, it’s difficult to turn them down.”
O’Brien is likely to field a four-strong team at Epsom with Brian Boru, Alberto Giacometti and Balestrini the other three.
Riding plans have yet to be finalised but the mounts are set to be taken by stable jockey Michael Kinane, Jamie Spencer and Christophe Soumillon.
Norse Dancer looks likely to be supplemented for the race after he was taken out of the French equivalent.
The David Elsworth-trained colt, who was third in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas, is now set to be added to the Epsom field on Monday at a cost of £90,000.
Ron Sheather, racing manager to owner Jeff Smith, said: “He will probably go for the Epsom Derby now.
"All sorts of thing have been considered but everybody wants to win the Derby when it comes down to it and Jeff would like to give it a go.”
