The Cazoo Derby takes centre stage at Epsom on Saturday, June 5, and Bolshoi Ballet looks a worthy favourite to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with yet another winner in the 1m 4f colt’s Classic contest (4.30). This beautifully bred son of Galileo is unusually the only runner representing the all-conquering Ballydoyle maestro – the most successful trainer in the history of the race with eight wins to his name.
At one time O’Brien was talking of saddling eight in the prestigious Group 1 contest, but a late change of plan has resulted in Bolshoi Ballet becoming a more dominant favourite and he is now a 5/4 shot with Paddy Power. He will be a first Derby runner for Westerberg, the racing name of Georg Von Opel, the billionaire great-grandson of the founder of the German car manufacturer, who owns a share in the colt with the Coolmore partners of Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. The Westerberg colours were carried to a first Group 1 victory last year when the John Gosden-trained Miss Yoda won the German Oaks under Frankie Dettori.
Bolshoi Ballet won just one of his three starts as a juvenile but always looked the type to come into his own as a three-year-old once strengthened up mentally and physically. That view was confirmed when he made a winning return to action in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at leopardstown when staying on strongly to score by just over two lengths.
Bolshoi Ballet then took over at the head of the betting for this when following up over 1m 2f at the same venue in the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial where he forged clear from the furlong marker to score impressively by six lengths. He clocked an excellent time in the process and it was a visually stunning performance which marked him out as a hugely exciting prospect. It makes him very much the one to beat in my book, especially as he is bred to come into his own over the 1m 4f trip of this and also has the big race services of Ryan Moore in the saddle.
Another leading contender for Ireland is Mac Swiney, who will be attempting a rare feat by bidding to become the first Irish 2,000 Guineas winner since Grundy in 1975 to also win the Derby. This colt is trained by 79-year-old Jim Bolger who won the Derby in 2008 with New Approach, the sire of Mac Swiney, and will be ridden by Kevin Manning, Bolger’s 54-year-old son-in-law.
He won a Group 1 as a juvenile and after disappointing on his return to action in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial quickly bounced back and showed a really good attitude when beating stable companion Poetic Flare, a winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, by a short-head in the Irish equivalent. It was a display which showed that he had guts as well as class and I think the extra four furlongs he now tackles in this may well bring about further improvement. Mac Swiney can be backed at 15/2 with Betfred and at those odds he looks a bit of each-way value in my eyes.
Also towards the head of the betting is John Leeper, a son of Frankel out of Oaks winner Snow Fairy, is named after the late John Dunlop, who twice won the Derby with Shirley Heights and Erhaab. Ed Dunlop’s charge earned his chance with victory in the Betway Fairway Stakes at Newmarket and in another late switch will be partnered by Frankie Dettori, hoping to add to his two successes on Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015). To me this represents a huge step up in class and I am not convinced that he is a Group 1 horse at this stage of his career. At a general price of 7/1 he is therefore passed over on this occasion.
The best of the home team could well be the rapidly improving Mohaafeth who will be seeking to give trainer William Haggas a second Derby victory, 25 years after he clinched his first with Shaamit. Owned by the Shadwell Stud, this son of Frankel who is out of a Sea The Stars mare, has won all three starts this season. After quickening well to land a novice contest at Lingfield, Mohaafeth readily followed-up in a class 3 handicap at Newmarket. He then took the step up into Group 3 company in his stride when registering a facile five-length success in the 1m 2f Betfair Newmarket Stakes.
Mohaafeth made smooth headway from the rear to from home and after taking up the running on the bit a furlong out ran on strongly to win easily from the 107-rated Secret Protector. It was a performance which oozed class and the step up to 1m 4f here loosm sure to suit given how he hit the line hard and finished with tons of petrol left in the tank. Mohaafeth is undoubtedly worth a crack at this level judged on the taking manner of that success and may well emerge as the main danger to Bolshoi Ballet. He can be backed at a best priced 7/1 with Paddy Power.
The undefeated Dante Stakes winner Hurricane Lane will be one of the three Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin runners. The trainer of 2018 Derby winner Masar will also saddle One Ruler and Adayar. Hurricane Lane rallied well to land the Group 2 contest at York, a key trial for this, by 3/4 of a length. He looks the pick of the trio based on that and commands plenty of respect under William Buick. William Hill go 9/1 about him maintaining his unbeaten record in this.