Nine additions to Derby hopefuls list

Lydia Hislop13 April 2012

Naheef, recently catapulted to the top of Godolphin's elite pecking order, heads a total of nine colts today engaged in Britain's premier classic, the Vodafone Derby, at a cost of £9,000 each.

New stablemate Parasol, trained last season by Mick Channon, was also added to Epsom's £1.2 million event at this second-entry stage. Godolphin now boasts 19 of the 145 hopefuls for the 8 June classic. Naheef may offer their best chance after his surprise victory in a private trial in Dubai earlier this month.

Among the nine additions, Standard Sport readers may be surprised to see Sir George Turner. This colt is trained in Middleham by Mark Johnston, who on these pages only a fortnight ago slammed the Derby for being poor value for money through relying too heavily on owners' entry fees to bolster prizes.

"Sir George Turner was engaged at the request of his owner," said Johnston. "He won an awful lot of prize money last season, so the £9,000 cost is not so significant in that context. But my own feelings about the Derby remain: I don't think it's value for money. I certainly don't encourage anybody to enter."

Johnston now has three Derby hopefuls, completed by his chief 2,000 Guineas hope Love Regardless and Stunning Force - both entered as yearlings. Of that trio, he currently regards Sir George Turner as most likely to be suited by the demands of idiosyncratic Epsom.

But his comeback race this season is as yet unknown. Johnston would prefer to avoid a clash with his best middle-distance hope, Fight Your Corner, whose owner and trainer agree in preferring to target the Prix du Jockey- Club instead of Epsom's equivalent. The French Derby is worth less but costs less to enter.

"I don't want to run Sir George Turner and Fight Your Corner together in York's Dante on 15 May, but it's the obvious race for both of them," he said. "Sir George Turner had a minor problem over the winter which set him back a few weeks. He hasn't yet begun fast work. I'll see which one is most ready at the time."

Four of the colts entered at this second stage could provide-their trainers with their first-ever Derby runner - Savannah Bay for Brian Meehan, Rapscallion for James Eustace, Jelani for Andy Turnell and Cast The Net for Simon Magnier.

Magnier moved from the US to train in Yorkshire last year and is first cousin to Coolmore Stud boss, John Magnier, who co-owned last year's Derby winner Galileo. Newmarket handler Michael Jarvis has also added Coshocton and champion French trainer Andre Fabre has entered Shaanmer.

Last month's impressive Dubai Sheema Classic winner, Nayef, heads a total of 33 entries for the Vodafone Coronation Cup.

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