The Epsom Derby is run this weekend and the two top fancies are blue blood colts Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact) for Coolmore and Military Order (Frankel) for Godolphin, but it’s far from a two horse race with Coolmore shuttler Churchill also in the mix with a couple of last start winners in Sprewell and The Foxes.
The Jessica Harrington trained Churchill colt Sprewell booked his ticket winning the Group III Derby Trial at Leopardstown, while Andrew Balding has high hopes for well-seasoned colt The Foxes, who stakes his claim winning the Group II Dante Stakes at York.
While the top pair are both homebred colts The Foxes was purchased at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 440,000 guineas by SackvilleDonald from Barronstown Stud and runs for King Power Racing. He was the most expensive yearling by his sire sold at that sale.
Although The Derby falls just over two weeks from The Foxes winning performance at York, Andrew Balding is confident his colt is feeling fresh and well ahead of Saturday’s time-honoured event.
Balding told Tattersalls: “The Foxes had a hardish race at York and we’re on quite a tight time schedule leading up to the Derby. It’s quite close this year but I’m really pleased with the way he’s come out of it [Group 2 Dante at York].
“He had a couple of canters this morning. He was fresh and well - bucking in the indoor school and looked really happy with himself. Hopefully we can get him back to how he was just before York in time for the Derby.”
The Foxes was impressive as a two-year-old when coming home in front of Derby rival Dubai Mile to claim victory in the Group II Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket. The progressive King Power owned colt made his seasonal return in the Group III Craven Stakes where he was just touched off when finishing second and then went one better in the Group II Dante Stakes.
Discussing his next target, Balding said: “I think he’s got his mojo back and we’re all systems go for Epsom, but it is a tough ask. I think it’s a tough ask on any horse to run at that level, have a hard race and then back up just over two weeks later.
“That is the test these horses have got to pass if they want to win a Derby. It’s never going be easy and I think he’s got everything. It was proved at York that he travels well; he relaxed well, and he finished his race well. I’d be confident from what we saw at York another two furlongs shouldn’t be a problem. I certainly would hope that Epsom wouldn’t be a problem for him either.”
A Derby winner for connections would be particularly poignant having lost King Power’s founder and CEO Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in 2018. Having heavily invested in the racing industry with keen interest, an Epsom Derby success in the King Power silks would be the ultimate achievement. Balding’s father Ian also trained the legendary Mill Reef to Derby success from Park House Stables in 1971.
Reflecting on how connections came to purchase this horse at Tattersalls Balding said: “Alastair Donald [Racing Manager to King Power] bought him. We always hoped we could get King Power a Derby contender, that’s part of the brief.
“He was bought as a yearling at Tattersalls, and he was the most gorgeous horse, and he still is. Just an absolute beautiful specimen of a thoroughbred and a fantastic pedigree as well.”
The same connections enjoyed success with The Foxes’ half-brother, the high-class Bangkok, who was also purchased at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by Sackville Donald for 500,000 guineas.
Balding said: “We had his half-brother Bangkok who ran in the Derby. He won a Derby trial at Sandown but was disappointing in the Derby. He was a very tough consistent mile and a quarter horse. He didn’t win at Group 1 level but was very consistent at a high level.
“This horse [The Foxes] is slightly different. He is probably an even better specimen than Bangkok was in terms of a physical. To me, he’s got everything; the class that he shows in his homework and a very relaxed nature which I think is going to be important on Derby Day.”
Balding continued: “He’s a very well-balanced horse. He is a Royal Lodge winner at the end of the day, so he was a high class two-year-old, and I think he ticks a lot of boxes in what is a very open Derby.”
The next sale to take place at Tattersalls’ Park Paddocks in Newmarket is the Tattersalls July Sale which takes place from Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th July. The sale consists of a mix of breeding stock and fillies and horses in and out of training and features high class consignments from many of the world’s leading owner/breeders including Cheveley Park Stud, Coolmore, Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms, Lanwades Stud and Shadwell Estates.
Churchill returns to Coolmore Australia this year at a fee of $22,000.
