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| Epsom Derby Day - 5th June 2010 |
Epsom
Derby
40 for Investec Entrepreneurial Class Dash Jim Goldie’s string is firing at present and the Lanarkshire trainer is targeting the £75,000 Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 5, with the in-form Hawkeyethenoo and previous winner Hogmaneigh.
Run over the fastest five furlongs in the world, the Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ provides the perfect curtain-raiser to the Investec Derby which takes place 45 minutes later. This year’s renewal has attracted 40 entries Hawkeyethenoo has won both his starts this season and followed a Thirsk five-furlong victory last month with a comfortable first win over six furlongs in a valuable handicap at Newmarket on Sunday, May 2. Goldie revealed today: “The plan is for them both to go to Epsom. Hawkeyethenoo has been very good this season. He has a 100 per cent record so far and you can’t do better than that. “He had always shown his best form at five furlongs until Sunday so, while it is a difficult race, I think it will suit him. He is fast enough and it suits finishers, as Hogmaneigh proved.” Hogmaneigh took the Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ in 2007 when trained by Stuart Williams and also captured the Portland Handicap at Doncaster in 2008. The seven-year-old joined Goldie towards the end of last season. Goldie continued: “Hogmaneigh is doing fine and we will probably target the Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’. We will try and get him spot on for that race; he knows where the winning post is there and if we get him to Epsom in good order, he will run another good race. “Hogmaneigh would probably like it on the softer side but it is always well-watered on Investec Derby Day. We will take whatever comes but it is nearly always one of those days when the ground is good and it is rarely any faster than that.” Dandy Nicholls is renowned for his expert handling of sprinters and he has half a dozen entries to choose from, headed by last year’s victor Indian Trail and also including City Dancer, the lightly-raced Crimea who was previously trained by Mark Johnston, the consistent Masta Plasta, the 2009 third Strike Up The Band and Striking Spirit, who chased home the Bryan Smart-trained Moorhouse Lad in a conditions event at Musselburgh on April 30. Other entries boasting good form during the current campaign include Duchess Dora, successful in a valuable five-furlong handicap at Sandown Park on April 23 for Yorkshire-based handler John Quinn and Fathom Five, who recorded a course and distance victory when triumphant in the Investec Capital Market Handicap at the Investec Spring Meeting on April 21. A real five-furlong specialist is Glamorous Spirit, who has won six times at the minimum trip for trainer Ron Harris and was last seen out when finishing a short-head second in a Listed event at Lingfield in March.
INVESTEC ENTREPRENEURIAL CLASS 'DASH' Form Horse Age Owner Trainer 365404- ARCHERS ROAD (IRE) 3 Connect 4 David Barron 40 entries |
