Fracas Handed Derby Chance

David Wachman gave Fracas the go ahead to contest the Vodafone Derby after walking the track on Wednesday.

The Irish trainer jetted in from his Cashel base in Co Tipperary for his first glimpse of the unique switchback circuit and was suitably impressed.

'The place is in great nick and it´s lovely ground. I´d say it was good at the moment,' said Wachman, who was accompanied by Joseph Joyce, owner of Fracas, who has won his Derby trials at Sandown and Leopardstown this spring.

'I´d never seen Epsom before and it´s interesting. It is what I expected but it´s very steep.

'Having seen it, we will give it a go for the Derby if the horse stays OK over the next 10 days.

'He is in good form and has done nothing wrong but like every other horse coming here it depends if he handles the track and you don´t know until you try.

'The trip is no problem. He showed that in the last trial where they went a good even gallop which suited him well.'

Jamie Spencer, who has partnered the colt to victory in all his three starts, is expected to take the mount.

'As far as I know Jamie will ride,' added Wachman.

Last Saturday´s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Dubawi was confirmed on course for the Derby by trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

'He is out of a mile-and-a-half dam and by a sire who nearly stayed the trip so I think he will stay,' he said.

'He is always a relaxed horse, Frankie (Dettori) will help to keep him nice and relaxed in the middle of the pack. He gives me hope that he will stay.

'He has come back really well from his race in Ireland and he is training well. With each race he is learning more.'

Bookmakers reported support for Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Oratorio, one of seven Aidan O´Brien-trained entries.

The colt was cut to 6-1 from 10-1 by Ladbrokes and Cashmans and is 8-1 from 11s with William Hill.

'He´s in very good form and is a horse who wants a nice bit of ground. The ground was quite slow last time and he was inclined to labour on it. We think he has come on for the run,' said O´Brien.

'The ground would be the big key for all of our horses as they are all good to fast-ground horses and that would be taken into consideration.'

French hope Walk In The Park went where his big-race rivals feared to tread as he completed a decent workout over the Classic course.

The son of Montjeu galloped over 10 furlongs with two lead horses, pleasing his trainer John Hammond.

Walk In The Park finished second to Kong in the Lingfield Derby Trial on his only start this season.

Despite being a powerfully-built horse, he looked perfectly at ease with Epsom´s unusual gradients as he worked under his big-race jockey Alan Munro.

Hammond was the only trainer to accept the invitation from Epsom to acquaint their horses with the track in front of a select audience at the Breakfast With The Stars function.

But come June 4, it could be Hammond who is feeling clever as he took the opportunity to give the Michael Tabor-owned colt more than just a stretch of his legs.

'I thought it was a good opportunity and the guys did a good job of it. It was a nice, smooth piece of work,' Hammond said.

'It´s very exciting to have my first runner in the Derby and hopefully he´ll run a good race.'

Munro will be riding in the race for a sixth time, having won it aboard Generous in 1991.

'I´m thrilled to be on him,' said the rider. 'He´s an impressive type, a big strong horse who is quite aggressive but well-mannered with it.

'I think he´ll suit the race. He won´t be bullied out of it but at the same time he is athletic enough to handle the course.'

John Dunlop believes that his two Derby runners Kong and Unfurled would have to improve a lot to trouble Group One winners Motivator and Dubawi.

The Arundel trainer successful in the blue riband with Shirley Heights (1978) and Erhaab (1994) does, however, have a progressive duo.

'The ground at Lingfield when Kong won the Derby trial was quite firm. What happens at Epsom we will have to wait and see but he doesn´t mind easy ground and he doesn´t mind firm ground - that´s a big plus,' Dunlop told At The Races.

'He turned well, he came down the hill well - that didn´t worry him. He´s got a lot of plusses - there are a lot of positive vibes for this horse.

'It´s very hard to compare when you look at the form of Motivator or Dubawi.

They were Group One two-year-old winners. Kong ran twice last season, finishing third in a pretty ordinary maiden at Leicester on his second start and that was it.

'This year he came out at Newbury and once he was given a bit of a distance, probably the a mile and a quarter plus was what he wanted.

'He travelled very well at Newbury in a race he should have won by five or six lengths. Never mind, it was all rectified at Lingfield next time when he won so well.'

Of his other Derby candidate Unfurled, Dunlop said: 'Unfurled is an improving horse, very-lightly raced. He won his maiden with contemptuous ease at Goodwood by 10 lengths.

'The race has worked out quite well several winners have come from behind it.

'The Predominate he won at Goodwood again a week ago today by determination, courage and stamina.

'He was led close home and battled back to win but it was an unconvincing trial.'

? PA Sport