Stars in good form but money talks for Fame John Oxx remains open minded about whether Sea The Stars will have the stamina to last out the mile and a half at Epsom on Saturday week on a day when the market spoke strongly in favour of Fame And Glory for the Investec Derby. Sea The Stars, a half-brother to 2001 Epsom hero Galileo, bids to become the first horse since Nashwan 20 years ago to complete the 2000 Guineas/Derby double. However, while Galileo was by middle-distance sire Sadler's Wells, Sea The Stars's sire Cape Cross was a miler and Oxx admits on pedigree his ability to stay is unknown. But the Currabeg trainer, who won the Derby with Sinndar in 2000, is hoping Sea The Stars has improved since Newmarket and that the ground will not be soft. "He has come out of the race very well. He's a terrific horse constitution-wise and eats and drinks everything," Oxx said at the "Breakfast With The Stars" event at the Surrey track this morning. "The race took nothing out of him, he didn't lose any weight and it didn't knock him out of his rhythm. Hopefully he's going the right way and will progress a little bit. Whether anything behind him can beat him the next time depends on his stamina. If they stay better than he does, they can reverse it.' "It's all down to whether he stays or not. On pedigree it could go either way, but I don't spend too much time thinking about it. It's unlikely to be soft ground, (although) it has happened. If it rains on the day it might be on the soft side, which would be a big worry, but statistically it's unlikely." Meanwhile speculation over Johnny Murtagh's Investec Derby mount continues, with Fame And Glory the latest Ballydoyle colt to be heavily supported for the premier Classic. If weight of money talked, then it looked last week like Murtagh would be on Rip Van Winkle after his price tumbled but Coral reported a day of sustained supported for his stablemate Fame And Glory. Just like Aidan O'Brien's previous two Derby winners, Galileo and High Chaparral, Fame And Glory has already won the Ballysax Stakes and the Derrinstown Derby Trial. Fame And Glory also won a Group One in France as a juvenile and will arrive at Epsom unbeaten. He is Coral's new 11-4 favourite from 7-2 with Rip Van Winkle being eased out to 6/1 from 5's. "The support we've seen for Fame And Glory suggests the colt is in good form to follow Galileo and High Chaparral by winning the Ballysax, Derrinstown and Derby treble," said Coral's David Stevens. "While we still do not know who Johnny Murtagh will ride in the big race, his presence on board Fame And Glory would almost certainly ensure the colt was sent off favourite, and that's what his backers will be hoping for." Speaking at Epsom's "Breakfast With The Stars" event earlier today, O'Brien said: "Johnny will ride them in their next couple of pieces of work and try to make up his own mind. Everybody knows he has a soft spot for Rip Van Winkle, Fame and Glory won well at Leopardstown, Age Of Aquarius won at Lingfield and should come forward, the two who ran at York (Black Bear Island and Freemantle) should come forward and the two at Chester (Golden Sword and Masterofthehorse) should come forward. The next few days will tell us a lot more." Investec Derby - Coral bet: 11-4 Fame And Glory, 7-2 Sea The Stars, 6-1 Rip Van Winkle, Black Bear Island, 7-1 Gan Amhras, 14-1 Freemantle, 16-1 Age Of Aquarius, Crowded House, 20-1 Kite Wood, Masterofthehorse, 25-1 bar
