Stoute looks assured of a win in Derby

Jun 7 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

IT may have been a Classic first-timer who repelled the Irish raid at Epsom yesterday, but veteran trainer Sir Michael Stoute looks to hold all the aces to do something similar in this afternoon’s Vodafone Derby.

Stoute bids for a fifth Derby success and has three rock-solid chances of adding to the successes of Shergar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003) and North Light (2004).

Irish raiders Casual Conquest, from the Dermot Weld yard, and Jim Bolger’s New Approach may be vying for favouritism but Stoute’s Dante Stakes winner Tartan Bearer and Chester scorers Tajaaweed and Doctor Fremantle all look capable of adding to the Newmarket trainer’s superb record in the premier Classic.

All three have had similar career paths to Epsom as Stoute’s previous Derby winners and it would not be a surprise to see him back in the winner’s enclosure around 4.15pm today.

Tartan Bearer would seem to be his key hope having won what has become the most informative trial at York last month, the Dante Stakes. That race was won by recent winners Motivator and Authorized and also by Stoute’s Shahrastani and North Light.

Ryan Moore has plumped to ride the Spectrum colt and Stoute believes he would have been hard for him to come to any other decision than stay faithful to the Dante hero.

Of Tartan Bearer, he said: “He should have won his maiden (at Newmarket) first time up and then he won the Dante after getting off the mark at Leicester. He is a very progressive horse who is sure to stay on his pedigree, and he took a huge step up on his second start.”

The Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum-owned Tajaaweed won the Dee Stakes, which Kris Kin and Henry Cecil’s 1999 Derby hero also scored in en route to Epsom glory.

Richard Hills is on board again and despite an injury scare earlier in the week, it is all systems go for the Dynaformer colt.

Stoute said: “He is a big horse but we always thought he would handle Chester, which he did extremely well in the Dee. He also showed a good finishing kick, which was pleasing.

“He has always shaped as though he would stay. He posted a good mark when winning at Chester, so we live in hope.”

Chester Vase winner Doctor Fremantle was one of three horses supplemented earlier this week at a cost of £75,000. The others were Weld’s Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Casual Conquest and Paul Cole’s River Proud, although the latter is unlikely to take his chance having been found to be lame yesterday.

Stoute feels Doctor Fremantle, who was second to yesterday’s Oaks heroine Look Here as a juvenile, could be the ideal type for Epsom. He said: “He has been round Chester, which he handled well, and has already won over the distance.”