Strong Entries For Vodafone Derby Festival Handicaps

Two of Epsom Downs' prestigious heritage handicaps, the 10-furlong Vodafone Rose Bowl and the five-furlong Vodafone Dash, have attracted strong entries for the 2006 renewals, which take place on Friday, June 2, and Saturday June 3, respectively.

Epsom boasts the quickest five-furlong course in the world, and the #75,000 Vodafone Dash is naturally one of the fastest sprints in the calendar. A total of 41 horses have been entered with a view to attacking Spark Chief's electronically-timed record of 53.7 seconds, set in 1983, or indeed the hand-timed overall record of 53.6 seconds set by Indigenous in 1960.

'Sprint King' Dandy Nicholls is well represented with nine engaged from his Thirsk yard, including last season's first and second, Fire Up The Band who is set to carry 9st 9lb and Peace Offering (8st 11lb).

Nicholls has also entered the progressive four-year-old Tax Free (9st 6lb) who won four of five starts last term and was a length and three-quarters third to Dandy Man in the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on May 6.

Continent (8st 8lb) won the Group One Darley July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye in 2002 and he could take his chance alongside stablemates Merlin's Dancer (8st 5lb), Trinculo (8st 4lb), Wanchai Lad (7st 12lb), Plateau (7st 9lb), and last season's Great St Wilfrid winner, Ice Planet (8st 7lb).

Milton Bradley is another trainer adept at producing sprint winners, and he has two entered. Provisional top-weight Corridor Creeper (9st 10lb), a course and distance winner, was third in the race last year, while stablemate Cape Royal (8st 13lb) has finished in the first three in five of his seven starts over Epsom Downs' five furlongs, winning once.

Zowington (8st 10lb) defeated Cape Royal over the course and distance in the World Cup Cashback @ Blue Square Stakes on April 26, with Rare Cross (8st 3lb) fourth, Jayanjay (8st 7lb) fifth, and Desert Lord (8st 8lb) seventh.

The last-named is trained by Kevin Ryan who could also run Mutamared (8st 13lb) who won a six-furlong handicap at Newmarket on May 6 from Ice Planet, with Golden Asha (7st 11lb) fourth.

Green Manalishi (9st 2lb) was one and a half lengths too good for Corridor Creeper at Newbury on April 21, when several other entrants were in arrears including If Paradise (9st), Tournedos (9st 5lb) and Nota Bene (9st 7lb).

Caribbean Coral (7st 13lb) won this race in 2004 when he had Texas Gold (9st 4lb) back in fourth. The latter scored over the course and distance in August.

Others entered include the Michael Jarvis-trained three-year-old Empress Jain (8st 1lb), Sierra Vista (9st 3lb), Talbot Avenue (8st 11lb), Pivotal's Princess (8st 11lb), Bold Marc (7st 6lb) and the Spanish-trained Signor Panettierre (8st 6lb) who was eighth of nine in an Italian Group Three in October.

The 10-furlong #75,000 Vodafone Rose Bowl takes place on Vodafone Ladies Day, Friday, June 2, and has attracted a 47-strong entry including this season's Lincoln winner Blythe Knight (9st 3lb), trained by John Quinn, who was sixth to Persian Lightning in the 2004 renewal.

Quinn and Mark Johnston lead the way numerically with four entries apiece. Quinn's foursome also includes Crow Wood (8st 12lb) who landed the 12-furlong Vodafone Handicap on Vodafone Derby Day last year, with subsequent Horse of the Year Sergeant Cecil back in third. Listed winner King's Quay (8st 10lb) and Focus Group (8st 5lb) complete the quartet.

Johnston's entry is headed by joint top-weight Crosspeace (9st 10lb) who was third to Day Flight in the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown last month. Royal Island (9st 5lb), I'm So Lucky (8st 13lb) and Nero's Return (8st) - third in the Vodafone Mile at this meeting last year - could also make the line-up.

Godolphin could be represented by the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Kerashan (9st 1lb) who was second to Enforcer in the 10-furlong Vodafone Live! Heritage Handicap at this meeting last year when in the care of Sir Michael Stoute.

Stoute won this race in 2003 with Akshar and has entered Thunder Rock (8st 5lb) who was a length third to the John Gosden-trained Wild Savannah (9st 5lb) over 10 furlongs at Newmarket on May 6, when Coup d'Etat (7st 12lb) who could represent the 2004 winning trainer John Dunlop, was seventh.

Richard Fahey landed this prize with Vintage Premium in 2002 and his Danelor was runner-up 12 months later. Realism (8st 13lb) filled the latter position behind Eccentric last year and could attempt to go one better. He could be joined by stablemates Look Again (8st) and Red Lancer (8st 8lb).

All That And More (8st 12lb) won the Bet @ Blue Square City & Suburban Handicap over the course and distance at Epsom Downs' Spring Meeting on April 26 for trainer Barry Hills, proving two and a half lengths too good for Impeller (8st 10lb). Several other beaten horses could reoppose including Divine Gift (8st 8lb) who was third that day, Profit's Reality (9st 2lb) (fourth), Counsel's Opinion (9st 2lb) (fifth), Ofaraby (9st 1lb) (seventh), and Lord Mayor (8st 10lb) (ninth).

Her Majesty The Queen's Forward Move is joint top-weight with 9st 10lb having won a mile Listed contest at Goodwood for trainer Richard Hannon last term and could be one of two runners for the trainer, along with last month's Haydock winner, Prince Samos (8st 3lb).

Andrew Balding has entered Chantaco (8st 7lb) and Kingsholm (7st 8lb). The former was a neck second to Wild Savannah at Newmarket on May 6.

Sergeant Cecil's record-breaking 2005 season incorporated this meeting, and trainer Rod Millman will be hoping for a similar story with Night Spot (7st 10lb) who was fourth in the Vodafone Rose Bowl 12 months ago.

Ed Dunlop's two entries are Red Racketeer (8st 11lb), who was second in the 12-furlong Bet @ Blue Square Great Metropolitan Handicap at Epsom Downs on April 26, and recent Kempton Polytrack winner Tabadul (8st 6lb).

Walter Swinburn could run the progressive Miss Provvidence (8st 6lb) while John Hills has Favourita (8st 6lb) and Wingman (8st 3lb) engaged.

Others who could take their chance include last season's third, Chancellor (8st), Star Of Light (8st 9lb), Courageous Duke (9st 2lb), Obrigado (8st 4lb), Active Asset (7st 8lb), Putra Kuantan (8st 5lb) and 2004 Cambridgeshire winner Spanish Don (8st 13lb).

The Vodafone Derby meeting carries total prize money of #2,435,000 and features the #375,000 Group One Vodafone Oaks and the #250,000 Group One Coronation Cup on Ladies Day, Friday, June 2, and the #1,250,000 Group One Vodafone Derby on Saturday, June 3.