Michael Church Racing Books

        Investec Derby 2020

         SERPENTINE

              9-c (ch.c. 2017)

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Run on Saturday, 4 July, 2020 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. Reopened 28 June 2020 with 17 entries at £10,000. Value to winner £283,550

1^st   SERPENTINE        Emmet McNamara        25-1

2^nd  KHALIFA SAT      Tom Marquand             50-1    5½ lengths

3^rd  AMHRAN NA BHFIANN  William Buick  66-1    ½ length 

Also ran: 4^th Kameko (Oisin Murphy) 5-2 Fav; English King (Frankie Dettori) 100-30; Mogul (Ryan Moore) 7-1; Russian Emperor (Saemie Heffernan)  6-1: Vatican City (Padraig Beggy) 17-2; Gold Maze (David Egan) 150-1; Highland Chief (Ben Curtis) 20-1; Pyledriver (Martin Dwyer) 16-1; Mohican Heights (Andrea Atzeni) 25-1; Mythical (James Doyle) 100-1; Max Vega (Harry Bentley) 33-1; Emissary (Jim Crowley) 40-1; Worthily (Martin Harley) 40-1 (tailed off last, 93 lengths behind the winner).               16 ran. Time: 2 min. 34.43 sec.  

Serpentine clear of Khalifa Sat and Amhran Na Bhfiann

   Commentary: Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Derby was run a month later, behind closed doors and, as a one-day Summer Meeting, was run on the same card as the Oaks for the first time.

The Two Thousand Guineas winner, Kameko by Kitten’s Joy, was backed into 5-2 favourite. Strong support also came for the Lingfield Derby Trial winner, English King at 100-30 and three of Aidan O’Brien’s six strong entry: Russian Emperor, Mogul (the choice of Ryan Moore) and Vatican City. Before the race there was much debate on the draw, with English King and Mogul having been allocated the so called “coffin boxes” of 1 and 2.

From the stalls, English King swerved left and took a little time to get into the pack. Meantime, Serpentine and Khalifa Sat were quickly into their stride, followed by Highland Chief and the hard pulling Kameko. After half a mile, Serpentine led Khalifa Sat, Amhran Na Bhfiann, Max Vega and Kameko. Travelling down the hill, the order maintained, Serpentine, under Emmet McNamara, quickly built up a lead extending to 12 lengths at Tattenham Corner. Two furlongs out and still 8–10 lengths clear, Serpentine had turned the race into a procession, with none of the fancied runners able to strike a blow. At the post, Khalifa Sat finished 5½ lengths second, with Amhran Na Bhfiann half a length away third, followed in by Kameko, English King and Mogul all running on too late.

Well that was easy – Serpentine

Entering into Derby history, Aidan O’Brien has trained a record 8 Derby winners (2001-2020), with Mrs John (Sue) Magnier and Michael Tabor, owning all 8. Galileo has now sired a record 5 Derby winners, having added a 4^th Oaks winner in Love, earlier that day. By contrast, Emmet McNamara, had not ridden a winner since October and Serpentine had only won his Maiden the previous week.

 Footnote: Due to the Coronavirus, the Derby could not be run as planned on 6 June. Therefore, the original 356 yearling entries were cancelled on 8 April 2020 and entry fees refunded. No fees were taken for the 12 second stage entries.

OWNED by  Mr Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Mr Michael Tabor.

BRED by Coolmore Stud.

TRAINED by Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle, Co Tipperary.         __________________________________________________________________________________________

The winner, SERPENTINE, has won 2 races (from 4 starts): A 1m2f, Maiden at The Curragh, Investec Derby Stakes.

 The sire, GALILEO (b.c. 1998), 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 11 times: 2008, 2010-2019. Sire of 4 Investec Oaks winners and 5 Investec Derby winners. Also sire of FRANKEL b.c. 2008, won 14 races (unbeaten) incl. Qipco Two Thousand Guineas Stakes.

The dam, REMEMBER WHEN, ch.f. 2007 by Danehill Dancer. Maiden after 6 starts incl, 2^nd in Investec Oaks to Snow Fairy. She has bred 5 winners from 5 runners, all by Galileo, with a 2-y-o and a yearling on the ground. Serpentine is brother to Wedding View (b.f. 2012), Beacon Rock (ch.c 2013), Bound (ch.f. 2014) and Bye Bye Baby (b.f. 2015).           ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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                                     Investec Oaks 2020

                                                LOVE

                                                                 1–k (ch. f. 2017)

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RUN on Saturday, 4 July. 2020, 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 £141,775.

1^st   LOVE                    Ryan Moore            11-10 Fav

2^nd  ENNISTYMON     Seamie Heffernan  6-1  9 lengths

3^rd  FRANKLY DARLING  Frankie Dettori  7-4  ¾ length

Also ran: 4^th Queen Daenerys (William Buick) 16-1; Passion (Padraig Beggy) 25-1; Bharani Star (Oisin Murphy) 50-1; Gold Wand (Andrea Atzeni) 22-1; Tiempo Vuela (Martin Harley) 100-1 (tailed off last, 52 lengths behind the winner).

Two furlongs out Love surges ahead

Commentary:  Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Oaks was run a month later and behind closed doors. As a one-day Summer Meeting, the Oaks was run on the same card as the Derby for the first time.

Love an impressive, staying-on winner of the One Thousand Guineas at Newmarket, was the 11-10 favourite. Frankly Darling, a 5-length winner of a 10-furlong AW Maiden at Newcastle, on the first day of racing’s resumption, followed up by winning the Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot, beating Ennistymon by 1¾ lengths. Frankly Darling, strongly supported, went to post at 7/4 with Ennistymon at 6-1, and 16-1 bar.

Passion and Tiempo Vuela, stable companions of the first two favourites, set a strong gallop through the early stages, extending a 6-length lead at the mile post to 12 lengths coming down the hill. However, all was about to change three furlongs out, when the pacesetters collapsed, Ennistymon briefly took over, with Love and Bharani Star in close attendance. Approaching the two pole, Love cruised past Ennistymon and, Ryan Moore, straightening her up after a sudden left dink to the rails, went on to win by 9 lengths in a record time. Frankly Darling made some headway to be third with Queen Daenerys forth, 14¾ lengths behind the winner.

Love storms home setting a new record

8 ran. Time: 2 min. 34.06 sec. (New race record)

N.B. Unlike in previous years, no extra yards were added to the distance to protect the ground on the inner rail for the Derby.   

BRED by Coolmore Stud.

OWNED by Mr M. Tabor, Mr D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier.

TRAINED by Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle, Co. Tipperary.

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The winner, LOVE (ch.f), has won 5 races (from 9 starts), incl. Moyglare Stud Stakes, The Curragh, Qicpo One Thousand Guineas, Newmarket, Investec Oaks Stakes, Epsom.

The sire, GALILEO (b.c. 1998), 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 11 times: 2008, 2010-2019. Sire of 4 Investec Oaks winners and 5 Investec Derby winners. Also sire of FRANKEL b.c. 2008, won 14 races (unbeaten) incl. Qipco Two Thousand Guineas Stakes.

The dam, PIKABOO (ch.f. 2003) by Pivotal, ran unplaced in 5 races. She has bred 6 winners from 6 runners, incl. PEACH TREE ch.f. 2016, won 3 races incl. Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Stannera Stakes, Leopardstown.

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