2016 Epsom Derby
| Epsom Derby | |
| Location | Epsom Downs Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 4 June 2016 |
The 2016 Epsom Derby will be the 237th annual running of the Derby horse race and will take place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 4 June 2016.
Race synopsis
Entries and race build-up
The initial entry for the 2016 Epsom Derby, announced in December 2014, consisted of 475 yearlings. Amongst the entries was a brother to the unbeaten Frankel, and a son of Midday.[1] The number of entries was an increase of 66 on the initial entry for the 2015 race, and included 53 horses from the Godolphin Racing organisation and 77 from the Coolmore Stud. The number of potential runners was reduced to 136 at the first scratching date in March 2016 with Foundation (trained by John Gosden) and Midterm, the son of Midday, (Michael Stoute) heading the betting market at odds of 12 to 1. Aidan O'Brien trained 36 of the runners left in the race.[2] A further 9 horses were added at the second entry stage in April 2016 at a cost of £8,000 per entry. The second entries included Carntop, bred and owned by Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.[3] A final entry stage will take place on 30 May 2016.[2]
Trial races
The first significant trial race for the 2016 Derby took place at Leopardstown on 10 April when a field of seven colts contested the Ballysax Stakes. The race was won by the 2/1 favourite Harzand, trained by Dermot Weld. Harzand beat Idaho by a length and a quarter and was subsequently quoted at odds of between 16/1 and 25/1 for the Derby and his trainer stated he would be "keeping an open mind" about targets for the colt. Jockey Pat Smullen felt that Harzand was "... too big and heavy for Epsom. He is more of an Irish Derby horse and the St Leger distance would be ideal."[4][5]
Epsom staged the Investec Derby Trial on 20 April. Although the race is run on the same racecourse as the Derby itself and gives a free entry to the Derby for the winner, it "struggles to attract leading Derby contenders".[6] The 2016 race looks unlikely to improve this reputation as it was won by a filly, So Mi Dar, whose trainer John Gosden intends to run her in the Epsom Oaks. The favourite for the Derby Trial, Claudio Monteverdi, finished fourth and appeared uncomfortable on the Epsom track.[6][7]
On 22 April the Bet365 Classic Trial was run at Sandown Park. The race saw the seasonal debut of Midterm, one of the winter favourites for the Derby, who started at odds of 8/11 for this race. Midterm, ridden by Ryan Moore, won by one and a half lengths from Algometer and his odds for the Derby were subsequently reduced to 6/1 by some bookmakers.[8][9] The horse's trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, felt that Midterm had to run well to even consider a run in the Derby and stated that the colt's next race would either be at Chester or York.[10]
Newmarket Racecourse's Guineas Festival on 30 April and 1 May threw up three winners with possible Derby hopes. The 2000 Guineas was won by Galileo Gold, owned by Sheikh Joaan Al Thani's Al Shaqab Racing. Galileo Gold was quoted after the race at odds of 6 to 1 for the Derby by the bookmakers William Hill and 10 to 1 by Ladbrokes.[11][12] The same afternoon's Listed Newmarket Stakes was won by Godolphin's Hawkbill, trained by Charlie Appleby. Hawkbill won by a length and a quarter from Abdon with the favourite, Sky Kingdom, a further length away in third. Godolphin's racing manager, John Ferguson, said after the race that Hawkbill would be able to run over longer distances than the ten-furlong Newmarket Stakes, and that the Derby and its French equivalent the Prix du Jockey-Club were possible targets.[13][14] The third race with an impact on the Derby betting was the 1000 Guineas, restricted to fillies, which was won by Minding, owned by Coolmore and trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien. Minding's three-and-a-half length win prompted the Ladbrokes bookmaking company to quote her at odds of 5 to 2 for the Derby "with a run", allowing gamblers to back her at those odds and have their stake refunded if she does not run in the race. O'Brien was non-commital when asked about future plans for Minding, stating that the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks were also possible targets, and saying that "“Obviously [the owners] will talk about that but all those things are open to her. I suppose they’re going to talk about it and see what everyone wants to do.”[15]
The first of two trials at Chester's May meeting was run on 5 May and was notable for the appearance of the Aidan O'Brien-trained US Army Ranger, favourite for the Derby itself, if Minding's odds were overlooked. US Army Ranger was sent off at odds of 4 to 11 and won by the narrow margin of a short head from Port Douglas, also trained by O'Brien. US Army Ranger's jockey Ryan Moore felt that the colt would improve for the run, saying "He's a baby, it's only his second run and he made his debut five weeks ago - he'll learn plenty." Bookmakers reacted by increasing US Army Ranger's Derby odds to a general 5 to 1, with Midterm favourite at 7 to 2.[16][17]
Form analysis
Road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 2016 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:
- Midterm – 1st in Sandown Classic Trial[18]
- US Army Ranger - 1st in Chester Vase[19]
References
- ↑ "Frankel's brother among entries for 2016 Derby at Epsom". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- 1 2 "136 go forward for 2016 Investec Derby". Epsom Downs Racecourse. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- ↑ "Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have entry in Epsom Derby". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "Ballysax Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ McFadden, Tony. "Harzand storms to Ballysax success". Racing Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- 1 2 Wood, Greg. "Gosden sets So Mi Dar on course for Oaks after Epsom Derby Trial win". The Guardian.
- ↑ "Investec Derby Trial result". Racing Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ "Sandown: Ryan Moore wins the Classic Trial on Midterm". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ↑ "Bet365 Classic Trial result". Racing Post. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ↑ Wood, Greg. "Midterm passes his Derby Trial examination at Sandown". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ↑ Wood, Greg. "Frankie Dettori triumphs on Galileo Gold in Newmarket’s 2,000 Guineas". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ "2000 Guineas Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ "Kitten's Joy Colt Enters The Derby Picture". Thoroughbred Daily News. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ↑ "Newmarket Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ↑ Cook, Chris. "Minding’s 1,000 Guineas superiority prompts talk of gatecrashing Derby". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ↑ "US Army Ranger: Chester Vase won by Epsom Derby contender". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ↑ "Chester Vase result". Racing Post. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ↑ "Midterm". Racing Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ "US Army Ranger". Racing Post. Retrieved 5 May 2016.