Darley looks forward to Derby

Kevin Darley is looking forward to improving his Derby record when he partners Fight Your Corner in the Vodafone-sponsored classic on Saturday week.

Darley won the Chester Vase on the Mark Johnston-trained colt in record time.

And the son of Muhtarram is set to be supplemented for Epsom at a cost of Stg£90,000 this Saturday after being bought by Sheikh Mohammed on behalf of his son Sheikh Hamdan, the official Darley web-site announced today.

Darley has ridden the colt in six of his seven races and won on him three times and he has had four Derby mounts, his best placing being sixth on Godolphin`s Hatha Anna in 2000 and on Roger Charlton`s Mystic Knight in 1996.

'I`m over the moon. I was obviously pleased with his last run after he disappointed first time out,' Darley said today.

'I think he just had an off-day first time out but he did nothing wrong at Chester and the Chester Vase is as good a classic trial as any.

'I saw him this morning and he looks a million dollars.

'He showed something at Chester that he`d not shown us before - he got a bit outpaced and showed a turn of foot.

'The one question mark we haven`t got is that he`ll stay because I think that`s his game. He`ll get a mile and a half stood on his head.

'Everybody has been playing the Derby down, but it`s a race everybody wants to win.

Darley knows the strength of the opposition more than most having won the attheraces Sky Channel 418 Derby Trial at Lingfield by a record 13 lengths on the Johnston-trained Bandari, who also has to be supplemented for Epsom, and last season`s Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on the Aidan O`Brien-trained High Chaparral.

'I won the Racing Post Trophy on High Chaparral and he looks an out-and-out mile and a half horse. By Sadler`s Wells you`d think he`d want a bit of cut in the ground, but he proved last time that he is pretty versatile ground wise,' added the jockey.

For Johnston, trainer of both Bandari and Fight Your Corner, the race cannot come quick enough.

'Time is just ticking away. I wish the race would hurry up. Fight Your Corner is absolutely bouncing out of his skin and I`d love to run him tomorrow. We are ready and raring to go and just trying to get through the next 11 days,' said the Middleham trainer.

'It`s the same for Bandari and I`m desperate to run them and just want to get them there in one piece.'

Bandari, who was sold to Hamdan Al Maktoum after his Lingfield triumph, will be ridden by the owner`s retained jockey, Richard Hills.

'Richard is the owner`s choice because of retainers and it suits us perfectly well. Richard still rides for us on a regular basis,' added Johnston.

The two horses are likely to have their last serious bit of work before Epsom on Thursday morning.

Said Johnston: 'After that we`ll probably call it a day and just keep them ticking over until the race.

'If there had not been the supplementary stage on Saturday we might have left the final gallop until a bit nearer the race but we`d like to make sure things are well before we pay the £90,000.'

The Tote trimmed Fight Your Corner to 9-1 with a run, Darley`s mount having been 12-1.

Vodafone Derby betting:

Tote: 7-4 High Chaparral, 2-1 Hawk Wing, 4-1 Bandari (with a run), 9-1 Fight Your Corner (with a run), 12-1 Naheef, 16-1 Al Moulatham, Dubai Destination, Moon Ballard, 20-1 Coshocton, 25-1 In Times Eye, 33-1 Castle Gandolfo, Louisville, Tholkanah, 40-1 Black Sam Bellamy, Diaghilev, 50-1 bar.

Ladbrokes: 7-4 (from 2-1) Hawk Wing, 5-2 High Chaparral, 5-1 Bandari, 12-1 Fight Your Corner, 14-1 Naheef, 20-1 Dubai Destination, In Time`s Eye, Moon Ballad, 25-1 Coshocton, 33-1 Diaghilev, Tau Ceti, 40-1 Castle Gandolfo, 50-1 Where Or When, 66-1 bar.

Coral: 7-4 High Chaparral, 2-1 Hawk Wing, 5-1 Bandari, 10-1 Fight Your Corner, 12-1 Naheef, 16-1 Moon Ballad, 20-1 Coshocton, Al Moulatham, 25-1 Castle Gandolfo, Diaghilev, Dubai Destination, 33-1 bar.