May 31 - There were no withdrawn runners at the final acceptance stage for the Epsom Derby, so barring a change in the track condition the hot favourite Auhorized with face 18 challengers, including 8 runners from the Aidan O'Brien stable.

O'Brien runs the most powerful yard in Europe outside of the Godolphin empire (reprsented by only a single runner, the unfancied Eastern Anthem), but even so eight runners for the Vodafone Derby is scarcely believable. The fact that he sends out an octet of runners may well indicate that none have that superstar quality. It would not be surprising to see them all run mediocre races.

It is a similar situation to Todd Pletcher's Kentucky Derby entry earlier this month when he sent out five runners all of whom turned out to lack that necessary quality of excellence.

O'Brien has won the Derby twice before with Galileo and High Chaparral. He also trained Giant's Causeway and Johannesburg, so it would be foolish to ignore his chances.

Still, they all have to get to Authorized, a facile winner of two Group 1 races from only three lifetime starts and odds-on to win at Epsom. He will be piloted by Frankie Dettori, who has infamously never won the Derby despite winning a slew of big races around the world.

If Authorized fails to live up to the hype the best of the rest could be Regime, whose trainer won the 2005 Derby with Motivator, or Aqaleem, whose trainer won last year's Vodafone Derby with Sir Percy.

Other Articles:

Wittingham Handicap At The Mercy Of Lava Man - 06-07-07

Belmont Stakes 2007 Betting Shake Up

Authorized And Frankie Dettori Win The Derby

Frankie Dettori Derby Betting Fever - 06-02-07

Belmont Betting Opportunity Beckons - 05-30-07

Royal Ascot 2007 Features The 200th Gold Cup - 05-29-07

Epsom Derby 2007 Odds And Latest Betting Updates - 05-28-07

Belmont Stakes 2007 Betting Contenders - 05-24-07


2012/04/02 06:42:10 AM