Artistic Star enters Derby picture for Ralph Beckett team Artistic Star, a Galileo colt owned by Jeff Smith and trained by Ralph Beckett, entered the Derby equation with a convincing victory in the Darley British EBF Novice Stakes at Sandown yesterday. This win takes his record to two wins from two starts, having previously landed a Nottingham maiden race back in October. The Derby hopeful stepped up from the extended mile to a mile and a quarter and was returning the 9-4 favourite to win by a length and a quarter over Torito. Beckett - who saddled Westover to be an unlucky-in-running third in last year's Derby - said: "He is a smashing horse. He is a May 27th foal and he has only just been ready for this now. "We will see how we go with him, but whatever we do next we will have a load of sport with him because he is still a horse in the making I feel. "Jeff, David (Bowe, racing manager to the owner) and I will have a chat in a fortnight's time and see how we feel. "We wanted to go to Lingfield (for the Derby Trial) and that opportunity was taken away from us so this was a really good spot for him." As well as the Derby, the winner holds an engagement in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. Beckett added: "It is not a bad shout, Ascot, as Jessie Harrington had the full-sister (Forbearance) and she was adamant she needed fast ground and so if we did get into our heat of summer the King Edward VII might seem like a target. "I'd be a little bit concerned it is only two and a half weeks until Epsom and he might just bounce."
