Dragonet Out To Buck Derby History

[Wandering Eyes]

Tesio’s Derby is the toughest of its kind in Europe, coming second only to the Kentucky equivalent in terms of demands made on still-developing Thoroughbred bodies and minds. At Louisville in May 2018, Justify (Scat Daddy) broke most of the rules and “Apollo’s curse” as a Derby hero without a single juvenile run behind him. That had already been achieved here in the modern era when Morston (Fr) took the blue riband on the back of a sole 3-year-old outing at Lingfield in 1973 and since then there have been two more to make light of the jolting trajectory from unknown to immortal in the space of a few weeks. They were Commander In Chief (GB), who came from nowhere to comprehensively eclipse the fellow Henry Cecil-trained Tenby (GB) here in 1993, and Ruler of the World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who conquered the 2013 edition just eight weeks after his debut appearance.

If winning the Derby without having raced as a 2-year-old is an every-20-year phemonenon, Saturday’s G1 Investec Derby favourite Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is in trouble but like Justify he does not appear a horse who respects guidelines. The ‘TDN Rising Star’ has arguably done a lot more than Ruler of the World already, with his eight-length defeat of solid stablemate Norway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the May 8 G3 Chester Vase a souped-up version of the 2013 blue riband hero’s defeat of three rivals in that trial. Only introduced to the world at Tipperary on Apr. 25, the colt his stable hardly knew about also gets a significant leg up from his impeccable pedigree.

If Tesio could design the ideal bloodlines for pointing to his famous winning post, Sir Dragonet’s would be it. His dam’s half-sister Wonder of Wonders (Kingmambo) had similarly low exposure when second in the 2011 Oaks and her dam All Too Beautiful (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) took on Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) on only her third start in 2004. The latter’s dam Urban Sea (Miswaki) is the font of all matters Derby-related, as she proved again 12 months ago when her descendant Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) arrived at Epsom to upstage all pretenders.

“He was always a very easy horse at home and does what is asked of him,” Aidan O’Brien said of the colt who has taken everybody by surprise. “He was kind of a reserved type of horse who didn’t run last year, so we just minded him. The reason he ran first time at Tipperary was just in case there was something special in there. Sir Dragonet’s work has been lovely since he last ran and he shows he gets a mile and a half well.”

At the other end of the experience spectrum is Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a gold-standard second or even third string for Ballydoyle who underwent rigorous examination throughout his formative campaign which took in visits to England and the United States. Like Masar, he took part in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and that remains his sole disappointing effort after wins in the G3 Tyros S. and G2 Futurity S. and placings in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National S. and G1 Dewhurst S. His straightforward success in the May 11 Listed Lingfield Derby Trial over an extended 11-furlong trip came on the back of a hold-up, so can be upgraded significantly. Bar a couple of exceptions, that prep has suffered after it was used by connections of the ultra-impressive 1985 Derby winner Slip Anchor (GB), but the half-brother to the high-class sprinter Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) could be the one to put it back on the map.

Donnacha O’Brien’s record in English Classics is an impressive three wins from his last six rides and his partnering of the Apr. 6 G3 Ballysax S. and May 12 G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is a positive. On racing style, he looks most likely to stay the trip and being by a Derby winner who was himself out of an Oaks winner he is tailor-made for these contours. “Broome has had two runs and we have been very happy with him. Ryan was very happy with him the first day and Donnacha was very happy the second day and everything has gone well since then,” the master of Ballydoyle said. “Anthony Van Dyck is a horse we always thought would get middle distances well. We kept him short enough last year as we didn’t have any other 2-year-olds really ready to go into battle. We were very interested in watching him run at Lingfield and Ryan was very happy with him and that he got the trip well.”

Like Sir Dragonet, Castle Down Racing’s Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) was also unable to make the track at two before charting rapid progress through the spring and early summer. Second to Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) on debut when notably green at Doncaster on Mar. 30, the Meon Valley homebred went one better by nine lengths at Windsor on Apr. 15 before winning the G2 Dante S. at York on May 16 in the manner of a colt with unusual prowess. Another by a sire successful in this highlight, he is Britain’s headline act.

Telecaster’s already much-respected trainer Hughie Morrison is on the verge of a sensational highlight of his training career and said, “As much as we’ve always liked him, we never got stuck into him at home. Oisin [Murphy] made sure he did learn plenty at Windsor and that paid dividends at York, but we’ve had three races in a short space of time and that is hard on a horse. He’s come a long way very quickly and giving a 3-year-old three runs before Ascot is unusual. As for the track, we won’t know until we try. He handled Windsor and that can be a challenge. He’s bred to stay this far and hopefully he’s got more improvement in him.”

King Power Racing’s Bangkok is the second Derby representative of his sire alongside Broome and hails from one of the stables that has carried all before them so far in 2019 in Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere. While he has to improve on the bare form of his success in the Apr. 26 G3 Sandown Classic Trial, he is a colt with a willing attitude and a likely stayer at a mile and a half. “It has always been a difficult race to win and it is not getting any easier,” his trainer said. “If everything goes well in the prelims and we can get a half-decent position in the first half of the race, I’m sure we will be there or thereabouts. On his home work, he is the best I’ve trained–he has got to put that together on the track, but in terms of raw ability he is up there with the best I’ve had of any age.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) is by one who actually disappointed in this race when running far too free in the 2013 edition and he bids to live up to the old “fourth in the Guineas, first in the Derby” adage. While he was staying on in the style of the 1991 Epsom hero Generous (Ire) when filling that position in the May 4 Newmarket Classic, he is no certainty to get this trip on pedigree. “My dad had seven placed horses in it, he never won it but he won every other programmed race in England and Ireland,” his 86-year-old trainer Kevin Prendergast commented. “If we get the trip, we have every chance. There were a couple of impressive horses at Chester, but the ground was very soft. We’ve beaten Broome 2 1/2 lengths in a Group 2 at Leopardstown and he is nearly favourite now.”

John Gosden’s sole representative is Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing’s Humanitarian (Noble Mission {GB}), who needs to up his game after novice wins over a mile at Lingfield in November and at Salisbury on May 16 but his profile is not unlike the 2000 Guineas runner-up King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}). “He went and won nicely at Salisbury last week,” Gosden said at the ‘Breakfast With the Stars’ day here. “You have to be bold sometimes.”

Also at Epsom, the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. features Cheveley Park Stud’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who carries a penalty for her success in the G3 Atalanta S. at Sandown in September. Third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot and G1 Nassau S. at Goodwood last term, the homebred has to rebound from a return fourth when the re-opposing Nyaleti (Ire) (Arch) was second in the G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket on May 5. “I think we were all a bit disappointed with her last run,” the stud’s managing director Chris Richardson said. “I don’t know if she didn’t like the ground, as it was pretty uneven on the day because of the all the rain they had. We’ll put a line through it and move on. Sir Michael is very happy with her and we know she’s a good filly. Hopefully she’ll take to Epsom and we can decide from there whether we go to Royal Ascot.”

The King Power connections warm up for Bangkok’s Derby tilt with the 3-year-old Bye Bye Hong Kong (Street Sense) in the G3 Investec Diomed S. Successful in the May 13 Listed Royal Windsor S., he is reported in peak condition by Andrew Balding. “He’s taking on older horses again, but I would like to think he’ll like the track and hopefully he’ll run a big race.” He meets Ahmad Alotaibi’s May 1 Listed Paradise S. winner Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), whose form has subsequently been boosted by the runner-up Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Aus}).

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