Investec Derby Entries - 2019 |
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Saturday 1st June |
Yearling entries for 2019 Investec Derby revealed
13 Dec 2017
The 240th running of Britain's premier Classic and richest race, run over a mile and a half for three-year-old colts and fillies, carries a prize fund of at least £1.5-million. There are 338 yearling entries for the 2019 renewal.
The Coolmore partners of Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith have dominated the Classic in recent times, with seven winners in various combinations of ownership - 2001 Galileo; 2002 High Chaparral; 2011 Pour Moi; 2012 Camelot; 2013 Ruler Of The World; 2014 Australia & 2017 Wings Of Eagles.
Wings Of Eagles
They have 45 entries between them for the 2019 Investec Derby, headed by no less than 30 sons of eight-time champion sire Galileo, including full-brothers to Highland Reel, Churchill and Sir Isaac Newton, as well as a Frankel colt out of Belesta - the €1.6m sale topper at Goffs Orby - and an Australia colt out of four-time G1 scorer Peeping Fawn.
Investec Derby-winning owner the Aga Khan took the spoils for the fifth time in 2016 with Harzand. His 22 entries are headed by an Invincible Spirit colt out of unbeaten superstar Zarkava.
Faylaq, a 1.5-million guineas Dubawi colt in training with William Haggas, and Maydanny, a 1.35-million guineas purchase by the same sire with Mark Johnston, headline 21 entries for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, successful with Nashwan (1989) and Erhaab (1994).
Khalid Abdullah has 18 entries as he chases a fourth Investec Derby victory, while Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation has 11 entries.
Her Majesty The Queen, a great supporter of Epsom Downs, is yet to win the Investec Derby, although she came close with 1953 runner-up Aureole and Carlton House, who was third in 2011. Her Majesty's five entries include the first progeny of 2013 Gold Cup heroine Estimate, sired by Dubawi.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, successful with High-Rise in 1998, has 10 entries including a Dubawi colt out of three-time G1 scorer Finsceal Beo.
The Niarchos Family and its offshoot Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd have 13 entries in total, topped by sons of high-class racemares Six Perfections, Fiesolana and Duntle, all by Galileo.
Thai businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, owner of Leicester City Football Club, made a big splash at the yearling sales this year. He has nine entries under his King Power Racing banner including four sons of Frankel and 500,000 guineas Australia colt named Bangkok.
Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited have also invested heavily, with seven-figure offspring of Sea The Stars (1 million guineas at Tattersalls) and War Front ($1.1-million at Keeneland) among its three entries.
Leading Japanese owner Shigeyuki Okada has four entries, three of which are under Big Red Farm, including a colt by Japanese Triple Crown hero and dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Orfevre.
Investec co-founder Bernard Kantor has one entry - a Camelot colt who cost 62,000 guineas at Tattersalls.
Galileo, with 46, is the most represented of any stallion. Other high-profile names with yearling entries are Australia (23 entries from first crop), 2009 Investec Derby hero Sea The Stars (22 entries), Dubawi (21 entries), Frankel (20), Camelot (15 entries), Dansili (15 entries), Sea The Moon (10 entries from first crop), Nathaniel (9 entries), Shamardal (9 entries), Cape Cross (7 entries), Kingman (7 entries from first crop), New Approach (6 entries) and Noble Mission (6 entries from first crop).
Investec Derby winners Authorized (2007 winner - 3 entries), Pour Moi (2011 - 4 entries), Sinndar (2000 - 2 entries), Sir Percy (2006 - 4 entries) are also represented among the entries.
There are two further opportunities for horses to be entered in the 2019 Investec Derby - at the second entry stage in April, 2019 and at the supplementary entry stage on Monday, May 27, 2019.
Horses who are not entered can also gain a Wild Card entry into the Investec Derby (if not already entered or a gelding) by winning one of the two races at Epsom Downs - a conditions race over an extended mile in September, 2018, and the 10-furlong Investec Derby Trial in April, 2019.
Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing & Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs, commented: "Each year sees fluctuations in the number of yearlings entered for the Investec Derby.
"It would appear some owners are approaching the entry process slightly differently, happy in the knowledge that if they have a horse good enough then there are enough opportunities to gain entry in the Classic at a later stage.
"There are now more ways than ever to secure a place in the Investec Derby. This year we created a fifth one when we offered the winner of the two-year-old conditions race at Epsom Downs' Season Finale fixture a Wild Card entry into the following year's Investec Derby.
"Yearling entry remains the most cost-effective way of entering the Investec Derby and I would like to thank all the owners and trainers who have supported the premier Classic in this way for 2019. It's exciting to think the world's best horse could be one of these yearlings."
For a full list of yearling entries for the 2019 Investec Derby, please click HERE
Breakdown of 2019 Investec Derby entries by selected owner
45 entries
Derrick Smith/Sue Magnier/Michael Tabor (2001 Galileo, 2002 High Chaparral, 2011 Pour Moi, 2012 Camelot, 2013 Ruler Of The World, 2014 Australia)
22 entries
Aga Khan (1981 Shergar, 1986 Shahrastani, 1988 Kahyasi, 2000 Sinndar, 2016 Harzand)
21 entries
Hamdan Al Maktoum (1989 Nashwan, 1994 Erhaab)
18 entries
Khalid Abdullah (1990 Quest For Fame, 1993 Commander In Chief, 2010 Workforce)
13 entries
Annemarie O'Brien
Niarchos Family/Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd
11 entries
Godolphin
10 entries
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (1998 High-Rise)
9 entries
King Power Racing Co Ltd
7 entries
Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani
5 entries
The Queen
4 entries
George Strawbridge
Moyglare Stud Farms Ltd
3 entries
Lady Bamford
Qatar Racing Ltd
1 entry
Anthony Oppenheimer (2015 Golden Horn)
