Visindar Heads 33 Going Forward For The Vodafone Derby

The Andre Fabre-trained Visindar heads 33 horses going forward for the £1,250,000 Vodafone Derby, run at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3, following today's forfeit stage, which represents a healthy increase on the 27 horses engaged in Europe's richest race at this stage in 2005 and the 25 in 2004.

Visindar cemented his position at the head of the ante-post market for the premier Classic with an authoritative four-length success in the Group Two Prix Greffulhe at Longchamp on Monday, May 15. Owned by the Aga Khan, who is seeking a fifth Vodafone Derby success following Shergar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kahyasi (1988) and Sinndar (2000), Visindar is unbeaten in three starts and if successful on June 3 he will become the first French-trained victor since Empery in 1976.

Fabre could also run Linda's Lad, a Group One winner in France last season who prepared for Epsom Downs with victory in the totesport Derby Trial at Lingfield on May 13, when he beat Hazeymm by a head.

Fabre may still be seeking his first success in the 12-furlong Vodafone Derby, but Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien can already count two victories in the Classic following Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002), and looks to have another strong hand this year.

The pick of O'Brien's six remaining entries are Horatio Nelson, successful in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp last season and eighth behind stable companion George Washington in the Stan James 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance, Dylan Thomas, who collected the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on May 13, impressive Group Two totesport Dante Stakes winner Septimus, and French 2000 Guineas victor Aussie Rules.

Godolphin's two possibles are last season's Group One Racing Post Trophy runner-up Winged Cupid and Jeu de Mot.

The principal British-trained contenders are headed by Sir Percy, victorious in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in 2005 and second to George Washington in the Stan James 2000 Guineas on his seasonal debut on May 6. Olympian Odyssey, third in the Newmarket Classic, is also set to head to Epsom Downs and is the sole surviving entry for Barry Hills, who has had four Vodafone Derby seconds.

Classic-winning owner Bill Gredley believes Olympian Odyssey could represent his best ever chance of success in theVodafone Derby

Gredley is hopeful that ther Sadler's Wells colt can give him his second Epsom Classic following the 1992 Vodafone Oaks victory of User Friendly.

Gredley commented today: 'Environment Friend won the Dante pulling away so he was the best chance I had previously of winning the Vodafone Derby. He finished 11th in 1991 but something was amiss that day because he came out and won the Eclipse next time.

'Olympian Odyssey is a good horse. He's a tougher horse and more stoutly bred than Environment Friend who was a nice horse but not as manly as this horse, so in that respect Olympian Odyssey would be better than him.

'I do feel the horse is capable of winning a Derby - I just don't know which one yet. He's still in the French Derby so we haven't made a firm decision but if he runs in the Vodafone Derby it will be because he has a good chance.

'He handles all sorts of ground, which is the nice thing about him. He has run well on fast and won on soft so if he got a little bit of juice it would just help him. Jamie Spencer will be on him if runs in the Vodafone Derby.'

Several of the main trial winners remain in the line up including Art Deco, successful in the Cheshire Regiment Dee Stakes, and Letheby & Christopher Predominate Stakes victor Championship Point.

Other interesting contenders include Hala Bek, who created such a favourable impression when winning a maiden at Newbury on April 21 but has not been seen out since and trainer Michael Jarvis has admitted that he is racing against time to get the colt to Epsom Downs on June 3, while Listed Feilden Stakes victor Atlantic Waves could represent Mark Johnston.

The next confirmation stage for the Vodafone Derby is at the five-day stage on May 29, when there is a final opportunity to enter the Classic at the £75,000 supplementary entry stage.

Epsom Downs Racecourse Managing Director, Stephen Wallis, commented: 'Having 33 horses remaining in the Vodafone Derby at this stage is more than normal. What is exciting is the number of horses that are coming to Epsom with a genuine chance in the Classic. The race is shaping up! '