The Lion In Winter Still Holds Derby Favouritism At Latest Entry Stage

[Wandering Eyes]

The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars), a stylish winner of the G3 Acomb Stakes in 2024, leads the 42 remaining G1 Betfred Derby entries following the latest scratching stage. One of 16 Irish-trained runners, he is trading at 100-30 on Betfred for the June 7 showpiece at Epsom.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the bay has a slew of stablemates entered, including Wootton Bassett Group -winning colts Twain–third choice at 7-1 and a winner of the G1 Criterium International, Swagman, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Henri Matisse, and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere scorer Camille Pissarro. Another Wootton Bassett colt, Expanded, was second in the Dewhurst, while fellow Coolmore partner entries are Siyouni's Mount Kilimanjaro, second in the G1 Criterium International, and Dubawi's Delacroix was second at that level, as well. He is fourth choice at 8-1.

Second in the betting is Godolphin's G1 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court at 7-2 for Charlie Appleby, while Saeed bin Suroor has entered Toronado Alert (Too Darn Hot), fourth on Saturday. Group 1 winners Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot) and Tennessee Stud (Wootton Bassett) are 25-1 and 33-1, respectively.

 

Coronation Cup Field Taking Shape

The 12-furlong G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on Oaks Friday is down to 21 entries remaining after the May 6 scratching deadline. Godolphin's globetrotting champion Rebel's Romance (Dubawi) is one of the leading lights, and he will face a solid field including horses experienced with the quirky Epsom course, among them last year's G1 Derby second Ambiente Friendly (Gleneagles). Group 1 winners Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett), Los Angeles (Camelot), Sunway (Galiway), White Birch (Ulysses), Kalpana (Study Of Man), Ancient Wisdom (Dubawi) and G1 Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me (Nathaniel) have also stood their ground.

Also among the entries are the winners of the past two G1 St Legers in Continuous (Heart's Cry) and Jan Brueghel (Galileo). Christophe Ferland has nominated recent G2 Prix Allez France hero Aventure (Sea The Stars), who was runner-up in the 2024 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

 

Coral-Eclipse Attracts 58 Entries

Sandown's £1-million Coral-Eclipse Stakes, which is the first major all-aged Group 1 of the season, has 58 entries at the current nomination stage. Set for July 5, the 10-furlong race sees Godolphin's Charlie Appleby nominate both of his weekend Guineas winners in Ruling Court and Desert Flower (Night Of Thunder).

John and Thady Gosden have also left 2000 Guineas second Field Of Gold (Kingman) in the Sandown feature. Brian Meehan, whose Rashabar (Holy Roman Emperor) will miss an intended engagement in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains this coming Sunday, is also part of the 3-year old brigade. Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell beat fellow entry Delacroix–one of a multitude for the Coolmore partners and Aidan O'Brien–into second in the G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.

O'Brien has also nominated the one-time 2000 Guineas favourite and current Derby pick The Lion In Winter, G1 Criterium International one-two Twain and Mount Kilimanjaro, and the top-flight-winning pair of Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse, 2000 Guineas runner Expanded (Wootton Bassett), and last year's G1 Irish Derby winner Los Angeles. O'Brien's son Joseph has entered G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Tennessee Stud.

Among the older horses is G1 Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics (Night Of Thunder) for trainer William Haggas. Francis-Henri Graffard has three in the race including G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Goliath (Adlerflug). Group 1 winners Sosie (Sea The Stars), Al Riffa, second in the 2024 edition, and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Friendly Soul (Kingman) add weight to the Eclipse. David Menuisier's top-flight winning pair of Sunway and Tamfana (Soldier Hollow) alongside Andrew Balding's G1 Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana and John Joseph Murphy's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner White Birch will also line up.

Coral's David Stevens said, “The Coral-Eclipse is one of the most prestigious Flat races in the calendar, and we are incredibly proud of our fifty-year association with the race, which makes it the longest-running group race sponsorship in the world.”

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