Van Dyck Puts Derby Prospects On The Line

[Wandering Eyes]

At this time of year, there is barely time to reflect as the races that count come thick and fast. It is not even a week since Newmarket’s Guineas were played out in what seemed like a wintry grip, but already we have a new, red-hot Derby favourite. Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) forced his way past his Ballydoyle peers at a rain-hit Chester and now it is up to stablemate Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to regain kudos with the blue riband on the horizon. Sadly, Lingfield’s Derby Trial no longer carries Group 3 status and there have been many moons since High-Rise (Ire), Kahyasi (Ire) and Slip Anchor (GB) won en route to Derby glory, but last year’s G2 Futurity S. winner is the classiest participant in this listed Classic pointer for some time.

Runner-up in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National S. and G1 Dewhurst S., Anthony Van Dyck has suffered a recent setback so will need Saturday’s reintroduction, according to Aidan O’Brien.

“I’m very happy with him,” he said. “About a month ago he had a few easy days, so he is going to improve plenty for the run, but he is in good form and is ready to start. He needs to start now if he is going to the Derby.”

John Pearce’s colours went agonisingly close to winning the Derby in 2006 when Dragon Dancer (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) was denied by a short head by Sir Percy (GB) and there is a chance that they could feature in the 2019 renewal if Cap Francais (GB) (Frankel {GB}) comes through this prep giving the right signals. Second to Anthony Van Dyck’s stablemate Cape of Good Hope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Epsom’s 10-furlong Listed Blue Riband Trial Apr. 24, he looked in need of extra distance as he stayed on strongly at the death on that occasion. Trainer Ed Walker is hopeful he can put it up to the Ballydoyle favourite.

“I’m very excited to see him step up in trip,” he said. “He came out of Epsom very well. He will hopefully behave a bit better, having got that freshness out of him. It’s an interesting race with Aidan running Anthony Van Dyck, so we’ll see where we are. We need to make a decision whether we supplement him for the Derby or not and Saturday will help us with that decision.”

The card’s preceding Listed Oaks Trial has no standout like the colts’ version, but some intriguing contenders including Anthony Oppenheimer’s Frankellina (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who scored on her sole start in a mile novice contest at Yarmouth in October. William Haggas is adept at pulling a genuine Oaks contender out of the hat at short notice and he said of Hascombe and Valiant Studs’ homebred, “She’s lovely. The form of her maiden is terrible, but she’ll stay well. She’s only just ready to run. I had a setback with her and if I’ve got any Oaks aspirations I’ve got to get on with it, so that is what I’m doing. Epsom is at the end of May, it’s early this year, Goodwood is too close, so it was between Lingfield or York and I think she stays well so we are going to Lingfield.”

Roger Varian has some smart 3-year-old fillies and saddles Nurlan Bizakov’s Tauteke (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in opposition to Frankellina. She took a mile Chelmsford novice contest in November and her trainer is keen on her prospects. “Tauteke is a nice filly who has wintered well,” he commented. “She’ll appreciate the trip, although the ground is an unknown. Hopefully she’ll run very well and it’ll give us a pointer as to where we should be running going forward.”

The G3 Irish National Stud Racing Irish EBF Blue Wind S. at Naas also has a potential bearing on the Oaks, with George Strawbridge’s impressive Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial S.-winning 4-year-old Who’s Steph (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) setting a high standard for four Ballydoyle Classic aspirants. They include ‘TDN Rising Star’ Chablis (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was disappointing on her seasonal bow when travelling strongly before checking out and ending up last in the Apr. 28 Listed Salsabil S. at Navan.

Other interesting elements on Saturday include Haydock’s Listed Spring Trophy over seven furlongs, with the King Power Racing team represented by the exciting 3-year-old colt Happy Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) coming off a five-length Newbury handicap score on Apr. 12. Andrew Balding has charge of the 625,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate who meets the year-older Vanbrugh (First Defence). The latter made a promising winning start for the Charlie Hills stable in a Apr. 13 Thirsk conditions event, having moved from Andre Fabre’s yard and has the pedigree to prove better than this standard in time.

Also at Haydock, Princess Haya of Jordan’s Emblazoned (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is out for the first time since finishing third in the G1 Commonwealth Cup in June when tackling the six-furlong Pertemps Network Conditions S.

Friday’s draw for Sunday’s G1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains was kind to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and his already-dominant presence became stifling to connections of his 11 rivals as he was handed stall two for a Classic that has always been heavily influenced by stalls position.

Andre Fabre has shown stout courage in bypassing Newmarket’s G1 2000 Guineas with Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd’s highly impressive Apr. 14 G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner and an outside draw would have disturbed his peace of mind. Aidan O’Brien will get a feel of how Persian King has progressed since beating Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket in October through his participants Never No More (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Van Beethoven (Scat Daddy).

Ryan Moore is on the former, who goes up to a mile having beaten Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the seven-furlong Listed 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown Apr. 6, and he has a favourable berth in four. The Wertheimers’ luck was out, however, with the Apr. 7 G3 Prix la Force winner Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal) drawn 11 of the dozen and only Jean-Louis Bouchard’s G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere third Anodor (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) wider.

In the G1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches for the fillies, Fabre was again praising the draw gods as Lady Bamford’s Suphala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) was handed stall four. Second in the G3 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on Apr. 10, she could be challenging Godolphin’s Castle Lady (Ire) (Shamardal) for favouritism with that Apr. 14 G3 Prix de la Grotte winner drawn in six. Suffering misfortune as she had when drawn high in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the British raider East (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will break from the wide outside in 10. Her compatriots Angel’s Hideaway (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Rainbow Heart (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) were withdrawn at the final stage. The ground is currently soft at the capital’s premier track and with thunderstorms forecast on Saturday any prospect of it drying out significantly look slim.

The post Van Dyck Puts Derby Prospects On The Line appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article