Godolphin Strike Back

Masar, the first Investec Derby winner in Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin blue, has reopened the battle between racings two superpowers. And with the Sheikh now investing in Coolmore stallions, we look forward to a healthy competition for the Classics in England and Ireland.

This year’s Derby was run under blue skies and before a bumper crowd. The betting centred on one horse – Saxon Warrior – winner of the 2000 Guineas and best of five Aiden O’Brien entries, starting at 4-5 favourite; Roaring Lion, winner of the Dante Stakes, was next best at 6-1, while Young Rascal (Chester Vase) and Hazapour (Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial), were popular alternatives. The Godolphin hope, Masar, third to Saxon Warrior when favourite for the Guineas, attracted each-way support at 16-1.

The 12 runners on their way, Kew Gardens, Dee Ex Bee and Knight To Behold, led the field for the first half-mile. On to the highest point of the course, Knight To Behold headed Kew Gardens with The Pentagon and Hazapour two lengths away. There was little change in the order until entering the straight, when after Kew Gardens and Knight To Behold gave way, Hazapour took up the running from Dee Ex Bee, with Masar mounting a challenge and Roaring Lion closing fast. Suddenly, Masar forged ahead, leaving Dee Ex Bee and Roaring Lion to scrap for the places, while Saxon Warrior, the disappointment of the race, finished fourth.

Run on Saturday, 2 June, 2018 as the Investec Derby Stakes over the Derby Course of one mile and a half and 6 yards, Epsom Downs. For three-year-olds; entire colts 9st 0lb, fillies 8st 11lb. 455 entries. Value to winner £850,650.

Also ran: 4^th Saxon Warrior (Ryan Moore) 4-5 Fav; Hazapour (Frankie Dettori) 12-1; Delano Roosevelt (Seamie Heffeman) 16-1; Young Rascal (James Doyle) 17-2: The Pentagon (Wayne Lordan) 33-1; Kew Gardens (Donnacha O’Brien) 16-1; Sevenna Star (Robert Havlin); Knight To Behold (Richard Kingscote) 14-1; Zabriskie (P B Beggy) 66-1 (tailed off, last).

12 ran. Time: 2 min. 34.93 sec.  

BRED by Godolphin.

OWNED by Godolphin.

TRAINED by Charlie Appleby at Newmarket, Suffolk.

The winner, MASAR, has won 4 races (from 8 starts), incl. BetBright Solario Stakes, Sandown, Bet365 Craven Stakes, Newmarket, Investec Derby Stakes. Third in Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes.

The sire, NEW APPROACH, ch.c. 2005 by GALILEO ex PARK EXPRESS, won 8 races (from 11 starts) incl. Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket, Vodafone Derby Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes, Leopardstown,  Champion Stakes (in Course record time 2 m. 0.13 sec.), Newmarket. Second in Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, Newmarket & Irish 2000 Guineas, The Curragh. Sire of DAWN APPROACH ch.c. 2010 ex HYMN OF THE DAWN by PHONE TRICK, won Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket, Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot; LIBERTARIAN b.c.2010 ex INTRUM MORSHAAN by DARSHAAN, won Dante Stakes, York, second in Investec Derby Stakes; TALENT ch.f. 2010 ex PROWESS by PEINTRE CELEBRE, won Pretty Polly Stakes, Newmarket, Investec Oaks Stakes.

The dam, KHAWLAH, b.f. 2008 by CAPE CROSS ex VILLARRICA, won 3 races (from 10 starts) incl. UAE Oaks and UAE Derby, Meydan. MASAR was her second foal.

Forever Together wins the Investec Oaks

The first maiden to win the race since Sun Princess in 1983, Forever Together, stormed home by four and a half lengths to give Aidan O’Brien his seventh winner in the race.

Seven days before the race, however, the Oaks betting was thrown into chaos when the John Gosden-trained ante-post favourite, Lah Ti Dar, returned an unsatisfactory blood test and was withdrawn. Wild Illusion, fourth in the 1000 Guineas, was then made 5-2 favourite, with Magic Wand, winner of the Cheshire Oaks at 4-1 and the runner-up, Forever Together, on 7-1.

On ground described as Soft (Good to soft in places), Flattering, Bye Bye Baby and Wild Illusion, took them up to the mile post, where Bye Bye Baby went on, going four lengths clear at the top of the hill, extending to seven lengths at Tattenham Corner. From coming up the middle of the straight, Bye Bye Baby moved towards the stands’ rail to do battle with Wild Illusion and Forever Together.

Two furlongs out, Forever Together (rails) and Wild Illusion forged ahead, with Donnacha O’Brien on Forever Together, drawing away at the distance to win by four and a half lengths. Bye Bye Baby, keeping up the gallop, finished third, a further three and a half lengths away.

In a blanket attack on the race, Aidan O’Brien trained five of the nine runners, four of which were by Galileo.

Purists may like to know an extra 12 yards had been added to the distance to protect the ground on the inner rail for Derby day.         

RUN on Friday, 1 June, 2018, as the Investec Oaks, over the Derby Course of one mile and a half and 6 yards, Epsom Downs. For three-year-old fillies, 9st 0lb. Value to winner £283,550.

1^st   FOREVER TOGETHER      Donnacha O’Brien     7-1

2^nd  WILD ILLUSION              William Buick              5-2 Fav

3^rd  BYE BYE BABY                 Wayne Lordan             8-1

Distances: 4 1/2 lengths and 3 1/2 lengths

Also ran: 4^th Magic Wand (Ryan Moore) 4-1; Flattering (P.B. Beggy) 11-1; Give And Take (James Doyle) 16-1; Perfect Clarity (Adam Kirby) 5-1; I Can Fly (Seamie Heffernan) 9-1 (tailed off); Ejtyah (Jamie Spencer) 25-1(last, 98½ lengths behind the winner).   9 ran. Time: 2 min. 40.39 sec.

BRED by Vimal and Gillian Khosia.

OWNED by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs John Magnier.

TRAINED by A P O’Brien at Cashel, Co.Tipperary.

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The winner, FOREVER TOGETHER, a late May foal, has won 1 race (from 4 starts): Investec Oaks Stakes.   

 The sire, GALILEO b.c. 1998 by SADLER’S WELLS ex URBAN SEA, won 6 races (from 8 starts) incl. Vodafone Derby Stakes, Budweiser Irish Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. Champion Sire in G.B. & Ireland 2008 & 2010-2017. Sire of 3 Epsom Derby winners: NEW APPROACH ch.c. 2005; RULER OF THE WORLD ch.c. 2010; AUSTRALIA ch.c. 2011, and of 2 other Epsom Oaks winners: WAS b.f. 2009; MINDING b.f. 2013. Also sire of FRANKEL b.c. 2008, won 14 races,  incl. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, (unbeaten).

 The dam, GREEN ROOM b. or br. f. 2002 by THEATRICAL ex CHAIN FERN, was unraced. She has bred 7 winners from 8 foals (FOREVER TOGETHER was her 7^th), incl. TOGETHER FOREVER b.f. 2012 by GALILEO, won 3 races incl. Dubai Fillies’ Mile, Newmarket.

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Masar makes it 7 Derby Trio’s

When Masar won the 2018 Investec Derby he became the seventh Derby winner whose sire and grandsire had also won the Derby – so forming the threefold prepotent sire line of Masar (won 2018) – New Approach (2008) – Galileo (2001).

Whilst we await the further exploits of Masar (seen above), his Derby-winning sire, New Approach, notably, won the Champion Stakes at Newmarket in a Course record time, while his sire, the great Galileo, has been Champion Sire in G.B. & Ireland, nine times.

The previous trio of grandsire, sire and foal was, Mill Reef (won 1971) – Shirley Heights (1978) – Slip Anchor (1985).

Mill Reef also won the Eclipse Stakes, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe and the Coronation Cup.

Notably, after fracturing his near-foreleg, he was the first horse in England to benefit from the insertion of a steel plate into his leg, in an operation that took six hours.  His son, Shirley Heights, also won the Irish Derby and sired the ‘trap to line’ Derby winner Slip Anchor.

The first trio of grandsire, sire and foal, successful in Epsom’s great race was Waxy (won 1793) – Whalebone (1810) – Lap-dog (1826) and Spaniel (1831).

Waxy and Whalebone were both Champion Sires, while in contrast, Whalebone’s sons, Lap-dog and Spaniel, both won the Derby as 50-1 outsiders.

The next set also started with two great racehorses, Bay Middleton (won 1836) and The Flying Dutchman (1849), however, the latter’s foal, Ellington (1856), owned by Admiral Harcourt, produced no notable progeny.

Doncaster (won 1873), Bend Or (1880) and Ormonde (1886), proved a very strong trio. Doncaster also won the Goodwood and Ascot Gold Cups; BendOr , interestingly, added the City & Suburban and Epsom Gold Cup, and his foal, Ormonde, not only won the Triple Crown, but became the outstanding Derby winner of the 19^th century.

Next come the popular trio – Spearmint (won 1906), Spion Kop (1920) and Felstead (1928). Spearmint was by the great American horse Carbine; Spion Kop was ex Hammerkop, a Cesarewitch winner who was 17-y-o when foaling her only winner; while Felstead went on to sire the 1938 One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner Rockfel.

Our final trio here is of Gainsborough (won1918), Hyperion (1933) and Owen Tudor (1941).

Gainsborough won the wartime Triple Crown, with all legs run at Newmarket; his son, Hyperion, was probably, the best loved horse in England between the wars and was Champion Sire six times. His colt, Owen Tudor, added the wartime St Leger and Gold Cup, before siring the celebrated miler, Tudor Minstrel (rated 142 in 1947) and Abernant, twice winner of the July Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes, (rated 139 in 1950).

I hope you agree, an all together interesting collection, and pillars within the history of the Derby Stakes.