The following two horses were entered for the Betfred Derby at today’s £12,000 second entry stage:

Dallas Star (FR) 3 9 2 Amo Racing Limited Adrian Murray Ireland
Hidden Law (IRE) 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby

Betfred Derby (Group 1) 1m 4f 6y

Epsom Downs, Saturday 1st June
Almaqam 3 9 2 Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Ed Walker
Al Musmak (IRE) 3 9 2 Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah Roger Varian
Ambiente Friendly (IRE) 3 9 2 The Gredley Family James Fanshawe
Ancient Wisdom (FR) 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby
Anzac Day (IRE) 3 9 2 Brook Farm Bloodstock Andrew Balding
Arabian Crown (FR) 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby
Arabic Legend (IRE) 3 9 2 Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum K. R. Burke
Bellum Justum (IRE) 3 9 2 King Power Racing Co Ltd Andrew Balding
Capulet (USA) 3 9 2 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Caviar Heights (IRE) 3 9 2 Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum K. R. Burke
Champagne Prince 3 9 2 Mr P. W. Harris Jane Chapple-Hyam
City of Troy (USA) 3 9 2 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Clean Energy (IRE) 3 9 2 Mrs J. S. Bolger J. S. Bolger Ireland
Dallas Star (FR) 3 9 2 Amo Racing Limited Adrian Murray Ireland
Dancing Gemini (IRE) 3 9 2 Fishdance Ltd Roger Teal
Defiance (IRE) 3 9 2 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Monet Roger Varian
Deira Mile (IRE) 3 9 2 Green Team Racing Owen Burrows
Diego Velazquez (IRE) 3 9 2 Smith,Magnier,Tabor,Westerberg,Brant Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Economics 3 9 2 Isa Salman Al Khalifa William Haggas
Endless Victory 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby
Euphoric 3 9 2 Smith,Magnier,Tabor,Westerberg,Brant Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Feigning Madness 3 9 2 Valmont Ralph Beckett
Galen 3 9 2 P.Redmond/T.Fitzgerald/A.O’Brien/BFowler Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland
Gasper de Lemos (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Ghostwriter (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr J. C. Smith Clive Cox
God’s Window 3 9 2 Cayton Park Stud Limited John & Thady Gosden
Golden West 3 9 2 Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum K. R. Burke
Grosvenor Square (IRE) 3 9 2 M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Harper’s Ferry 3 9 2 M H Dixon & J L Rowsell Ed Walker
Henry Longfellow (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Hidden Law (IRE) 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby
Highbury (FR) 3 9 2 Westerberg,Coolmore,Brant,Dubois Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Illinois (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Kamboo (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr Abdulla Al Mansoori Richard Hughes
Las Ramblas 3 9 2 Ballylinch Stud Roger Varian
London City (USA) 3 9 2 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Los Angeles (IRE) 3 9 2 Westerberg/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Macduff 3 9 2 Juddmonte Ralph Beckett
Marty The Party (IRE) 3 9 2 Connolly Racing Syndicate J. A. Stack Ireland
Matsuri 3 9 2 Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum Roger Varian
Meydaan (IRE) 3 9 2 Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Simon & Ed Crisford
Mina Rashid 3 9 2 Ahmad Al Shaikh Andrew Balding
Mission To Mars (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr Saeed Suhail Sir Michael Stoute
Mountain Bear (IRE) 3 9 2 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Mr Hampstead (USA) 3 9 2 Amo Racing Limited Roger Varian
No Retreat (IRE) 3 9 2 Victorious Racing Roger Varian
Ocean of Dreams (IRE) 3 9 2 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Ortelius (USA) 3 9 2 D.Smith,Mrs J.Magnier,M.Tabor,Westerberg Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Padesha (FR) 3 9 2 Amo Racing Limited
Pappano 3 9 2 Ms Rachel D. S. Hood John & Thady Gosden
Portland (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien Ireland
Prince Rasam 3 9 2 East 11 Limited Michael Bell
Quatre Bras (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr P. W. Harris Jane Chapple-Hyam
Raja Raja 3 9 2 Chola Dynasty David Simcock
Roadshow (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor A. Fabre France
Roi de France (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr B. E. Nielsen John & Thady Gosden
Salamanca 3 9 2 Mr P. W. Harris Jane Chapple-Hyam
Sam Hawkens (IRE) 3 9 2 Westerberg Richard Hannon
Sardinian Warrior (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr Marc Chan John & Thady Gosden
Sayedaty Sadaty (IRE) 3 9 2 Ahmad Al Shaikh Andrew Balding
Spoken Truth (IRE) 3 9 2 Moyglare Stud Farms Ltd D. K. Weld Ireland
Stromberg 3 9 2 Teme Valley Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland
The Euphrates 3 9 2 Brant/Magnier/Tabor/Westerberg/Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland
The Reverend 3 9 2 Tony Bloom & Ian McAleavy William Haggas
Under The Sun 3 9 2 Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd Hugo Palmer
Valvano (IRE) 3 9 2 Valmont Ralph Beckett
Voyage 3 9 2 Mrs J. Wood Richard Hannon
War Rooms (IRE) 3 9 2 Brook Farm Bloodstock Owen Burrows
Wind River (IRE) 3 9 2 The Megsons Ed Dunlop

The following 5 entries have been scratched: Alrazeen (IRE), Common Defense (USA), Deepone, Justin Milano (JPN), Navy Seal (IRE)

69 entries go forward
22 Irish-trained
1 French-trained

Race Conditions

Total prize fund £1,500,000

For three-year-old colts and fillies only

Enter by noon, February 27th

Second Entry by noon, April 24th

First scratchings deadline by noon on May 7th

Second scratchings deadline by noon on May 21st

Five-day confirmation & supplementary entry stage May 27th

Final declaration stage by 10.00, May 30th

Weights: Colts 9st 2lb; fillies 8st 13lb

Horses will only be eligible to run in this race provided that they have a current BHA Handicap Rating of 80 or higher at midday of the confirmation stage.

Horses which do not qualify for a rating may also be eligible providing the BHA Handicapper is satisfied that the horse’s racecourse performances up to and including 29th May merit a provisional assessment of 80 or higher. Horses which have not run will not be eligible.

The winning horse in The Betfred Derby ‘Wild Card’ EBF Conditions
Stakes run at Epsom Downs on 1 October 2023 and in the Blue Riband Trial, run at the Spring Meeting at Epsom Downs on 23 April 2024, if not a gelding or already entered, will
receive an automatic entry to this race on the proviso that, should the horse remain in The Betfred Derby after the subsequent scratching stages on May 7th and May 21st and confirmation stage on May 27th, the owner will be liable to meet the corresponding payments respectively. In the event of a dead-heat in any of these races, both horses will receive an automatic entry to The Betfred Derby.

This race also forms part of the 2024 Churchill Downs ‘Wild Card’ Scheme. A runner from the American Turf Stakes, (Grade 2, 1m 0.5f. $500,000), run on Kentucky Derby Day (Saturday 4th May), will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in The Betfred Derby.

This race will be restricted to 20 runners plus two reserves. The two reserves will be nominated as R21 and R22.

The post List of entries for the 2024 Epsom Derby appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

It is understood this is the first time The Derby has been run in memory of any individual.

Jockeys will wear black armbands and there will be a minute’s applause at around 4pm this afternoon before The Cazoo Derby (In Memory of Lester Piggott) is run at 4:30pm.

Phil White, London Regional Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, said:

“No jockey is more synonymous with our most famous race than Lester Piggott. Running The Cazoo Derby in his memory, which we believe has not been done in the 242 previous editions of the race, is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest jockeys of the modern era and the record-holder for most wins by a rider.

“We want to give racegoers on both days the opportunity to pay their respects and celebrate the life and career of this extraordinary sportsman, and we hope that taking the unprecedented step of re-naming The Derby shows the high esteem in which Lester is held.”

The post Epsom to pay Derby Day tribute to Lester Piggott appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Two supplementary entries were made this week, namely Godolphin’s Nations Pride and the Stan Moore-trained El Habeeb, both added to the line-up at a cost of £75,000.

Teofilo colt Nations Pride entered Cazoo Derby calculations when the seven-length winner of the Listed Newmarket Stakes at the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket on April 29^th. He is joined stablemates Nahanni and Walk Of Stars as trainer Charlie Appleby aims for a third Derby success in five years following Masar in 2018 and Adayar 12 months ago.

Ante-post favourite Desert Crown will aim to give his trainer Michael Stoute a sixth Derby success, while Aidan O’Brien has Changingoftheguard, Star Of India and Stone Age in the race, as he chases a record-extending ninth Derby victory.

The Cazoo Derby is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

4:30pm Cazoo Derby (Group 1) 1m 4f 6y

Changingoftheguard (IRE) 3 9 2 Westerberg/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith Aidan O’Brien Ireland

Desert Crown 3 9 2 Mr Saeed Suhail Sir Michael Stoute

El Habeeb (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr Mohamed Khalid Abdulrahim Stan Moore

Eydon (IRE) 3 9 2 Prince A. A. Faisal Roger Varian

Glory Daze (IRE) 3 9 2 Glory Gold Partnership Andy Oliver Ireland

Grand Alliance (IRE) 3 9 2 Mrs Susan Roy Charlie Fellowes

Hoo Ya Mal 3 9 2 Ahmad Al Shaikh Andrew Balding

Masekela (IRE) 3 9 2 Mick and Janice Mariscotti Andrew Balding Jason Watson

Nahanni 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby

Nations Pride (IRE) 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby

Piz Badile (IRE) 3 9 2 Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd Donnacha O’Brien Ireland Frankie Dettori

Royal Patronage (FR) 3 9 2 Highclere T’Bred Racing – Woodland Walk Charlie & Mark Johnston

Sonny Liston (IRE) 3 9 2 Chelsea Thoroughbreds – The Big Bear Charles Hills Tom Marquand

Star of India (IRE) 3 9 2 M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg Aidan O’Brien Ireland

Stone Age (IRE) 3 9 2 Peter Brant/Mrs John Magnier/M Tabor Aidan O’Brien Ireland

Walk of Stars 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby

Westover 3 9 2 Juddmonte Ralph Beckett

West Wind Blows (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr Abdulla Al Mansoori Simon & Ed Crisford Jack Mitchell

The post 243rd Epsom Derby appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Coolmore Stud issued a statement on Saturday confirming that the winner of the 2001 Epsom and Irish Derbies had been euthanized on humane grounds.

The statement from the County Tipperary outfit read as follow:

“Regretfully our world-renowned Champion Sire Galileo was put to sleep earlier today on humane grounds owing to a chronic, non-responsive, debilitating injury to the left fore foot.

“It is a very sad day,” said John Magnier, “but we all feel incredibly fortunate to have had Galileo here at Coolmore. I would like to thank the dedicated people who looked after him so well all along the way. He was always a very special horse to us and he was the first Derby winner we had in Ballydoyle in the post M V O’Brien era. I would also like to thank Aidan and his team for the brilliant job they did with him. The effect he is having on the breed through his sons and daughters will be a lasting legacy and his phenomenal success really is unprecedented.”

Coolmore Stud’s statement continued:

“Following Galileo’s strikingly impressive Epsom Derby success the front-page headline in the Racing Post was the single word ‘PERFECTION.’ It could not have been more apt.

“Bred in the purple by Sadler’s Wells out of ‘Arc’ heroine Urban Sea and unbeaten in his first six starts, Galileo proved an immediate success at stud siring Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime from his first crop. Appropriately he became the most successful Group 1 sire of all time when his daughter Peaceful won the same race in June of last year.

His total of individual Group 1 winners now stands at 91 while no less than 20 of his sons have sired Group 1 winners on the flat, headed by Frankel and Australia.”

To learn more about the career of Galileo and his influence on breeding and racing, read The Greatness of Galileo, written by Paul Rhodes with Anne Alston.

The post Galileo 1998-2021 appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Serpentine was a complete outsider, at least by the odds of 25/1. Jockey Emmet McNamara was also looking for his first win in his first Derby. The wins take O’Brien’s record to 8 wins. Khalifa Sat finished second at massive odds of 50/1, while another one of O’Brien’s horses Amhran Na Bhfiann finished in third at odds of 66/1. Ed Walkers English King could only manage 5th, while Ryan Moore was 6th on board another from the Ballydoyle stable, Mogul.

McNamara opted to take a lead from the front and he stretched the lead coming up to the 2f pole. This is probably what won the race as the other horses in the race left it to late to make any kind of impact. In the end Serpentine won by 5 and a half lengths. Speaking after the race McNamara said, “I think I got a little bit of a freebie. I had huge amount of confidence in the horse having spoken to Aidan during the week”.

The Limerick man continued, “He said he was a horse that is going to stay a mile and six well. He said jump, go your own tempo and just from halfway, from the six to the five, give him a breather. He said he’ll keep going and he was right”.

O’Brien was impressed with McNamara. Speaking to Racing Post he said, “Emmet gave him a brilliant ride. He judged the pace well and he knew he was on a horse that would stay every yard of the mile and a half.”We know the road is so long with so many links in the chain,” he said. “You never expect anything, you always do your best, hope it will happen and then accept the result.”

The post Aidan O’Brien wins another Epsom Derby appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.