Golden Horn 7/4 for Derby glory as Coral go non-runner/no bet
Coral are now non-runner/no bet on the Investec Derby, and make Golden Horn their 7/4 favourite for the Epsom classic on Saturday, June 6th, following today’s latest confirmation stage.
As expected, the unbeaten colt was supplemented for the race at a cost of £75k following his impressive win in the Dante Stakes at York.
Trained by John Gosden, Golden Horn showed a telling turn of foot in the 1m 2f contest to easily beat stable companion Jack Hobbs and extend his unbeaten run to three.
Bidding to provide Gosden with a second success in the Group 1 contest following the victory of Benny The Dip in 1997, who also won the Dante, Golden Horn is a worthy market leader.
Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has three left the field, but they don’t include dual 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles or Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Found.
Connections decided not to supplement them, and instead they will head to Royal Ascot for the St James’s Palace stakes and Coronation Stakes respectively.
O’Brien will instead rely on Giovanni Canaletto, Hans Holbein and Kilimanjaro as he tries to win the race for a sixth time.
Giovanni Canaletto (16/1) has always been held in the highest regard, and after winning his maiden impressively by 6 1/2 lengths at Leopardstown lost little in defeat on seasonal reappearance when looking baldy in need of the outing and staying on strongly from well off the pace to be beaten a head in a Group 3 contest at the Curragh.
Hans Holbein (12/1) is a progressive sort who impressed when making all to easily land the Group 3 Chester Vase over the Derby trip of 1m 4f when last seen in action.
That looked a solid trial, and O’Brien saddled Ruler Of The World to complete the Vase/Derby double in 2013.
Kilimanjaro (20/1) is improving with each run and did well to come from off the pace to land the Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield last month. That form doesn’t look anything special, but the son of High Chaparral is on an upward curve and could well have plenty more to offer.
Ireland also have another leading candidate in the shape of Dermot Weld’s exciting Zawraq, currently Coral’s 9/2 second-favourite, as well as a live outsider in Success Days (16/1).
The Ken Condon trained grey colt has won Ireland’s two pre-eminent trials for the Classic, the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, and is among 15 left in the field after being supplemented.
Other leading contenders to stand their ground are Jack Hobbs (5/1) and Elm Park (8/1), who finished second and third respectively to Golden Horn in the Dante.
