Derbys Shine On Classic Weekend

Motivator and Shamardal covered themselves in glory on a great weekend for British-trained Classic colts highlighted by contrasting Derbys at Epsom and Chantilly.

Defeat for Motivator among his own generation now seems almost inconceivable after the way he demolished his rivals in the Vodafone Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

But if he drops down in trip he could run into Shamardal, who will be a formidable opponent after hanging on to complete a Classic double in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly yesterday.

And should connections of Motivator opt to stay at 12 furlongs for the Budweiser Irish Derby next, then fast-finishing French Derby runner-up Hurricane Run awaits them.

Motivator´s triumph was hailed as a success for the ordinary man as he became the first syndicate-owned winner of the world´s most famous race after taking on the big battalions of Godolphin and Coolmore.

That depends on your definition of ordinary, of course.

Membership of the Royal Ascot Racing Club, which includes the likes of Lord Lloyd-Webber, pop impresario Simon Cowell and media personality Sir Clement Freud, costs £6,000 initially plus £4,700 a year, with VAT on top of that in both cases.

It´s hardly a working man´s small change, but that didn´t matter a jot to the vast numbers of the club who packed into the Epsom winner´s enclosure amid scenes of unbounded joy following Saturday´s race.

Motivator simply outclassed the field, sitting on the leaders´ shoulders for most of the way before powering clear when Johnny Murtagh pressed the button in the home straight.

He won by five lengths from French challenger Walk In The Park, who ran on well from the rear, with Dubawi fading into third, another three lengths behind, after looking the only possible danger at the business end until his stamina gave out.

Following his successes in the race aboard Sinndar (2000) and High Chaparral (2002), Murtagh punched the air with joy as he completed his treble.

It was a dream result for the Irishman, who has struggled with weight problems in the past and nearly missed the ride when he picked up a three-day suspension that would have ruled him out of the race.

Crucially, the ban was cut to two days on appeal and Murtagh was able to defer it.

He said: 'We didn´t go that fast but he was always travelling really well. I was sat in a perfect position in third and coming down the hill it couldn´t have been any better. I couldn´t believe how easy I was going.

'When I let him go at the two marker he just took off. It all went quiet ? I had a little peek round half a furlong down and I couldn´t believe how far I was in front.'

It was a first victory in the race for Bristol-born trainer Michael Bell, 44, with his third runner, and relief was etched on his features afterwards.

The Newmarket handler said: 'This just shows that you don´t have to be a big battalion to produce the goods.

'So much can go wrong, but luckily it didn´t. He´s a very good horse with a very good jockey and everything went to plan.

'We are just so lucky to have him. For us, a relatively small team, to have a horse of this quality and not to make a mess of it is just fantastic.

'He´s looked a true champion at home and he´s looked a true champion at the races. There have been a few doubters and rightly so, but now he´s proved he is a champion.'

Purists may complain that the Prix du Jockey Club has lost the right to be dubbed the French Derby after the distance was dropped to 10 and a half furlongs for the first time, and the new trip looked to have helped Shamardal yesterday.

Frankie Dettori swept into the lead early in the race and executed a masterful front-running ride, surging clear in the straight and just holding off the powerful challenge of Hurricane Run.

The runner-up heads to the Curragh for the Irish Derby, and the extra distance looks sure to be in his favour.

British-trained sprinters have harvested rich pickings in France over the years and it happened again on the support card when the Michael Blanshard-trained The Trader led home a 1-2-3 for the raiders in the Group Two Prix du Gros-Chene.

The other Pattern race on Saturday´s Epsom card, the Vodafone Diomed Stakes, brought compensation for Hazyview, who was an expensive failure in last year´s Derby when supplemented at a cost of £75,000.

Dropped back to a extended mile, Neville Callaghan´s charge was given a peach of a front-running ride by Darryll Holland to beat Brunel by two and a half lengths.

Thirsk-based David Nicholls improved an already impressive record at the home of the Derby, where he has saddled 16 winners in the last five seasons, with a double from Fire Up The Band and Gift Horse.

Fire Up The Band made virtually all the running under Richard Hughes in the Vodafone `Dash´ to beat stable companion Peace Offering.

? PA Sport