Carlton House is still focus of Derby attention

Connections of the colt, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, issued an upbeat bulletin last night after the three-year-old showed no ill-effects following a four-furlong canter in Newmarket yesterday morning.

Carlton House has been the long-time favourite for the premier Classic, but doubts over his participation arose after he developed swelling in his near-foreleg.

The Dante Stakes winner suffered the setback during a workout on Monday.

“We are pleased to report that Carlton House did a good exercise this morning and he is very much still on target for Saturday’s Investec Derby,” said Her Majesty’s racing manager John Warren.

Thirteen horses have been declared for the Flat highlight of the year, with Andre Fabre’s Prix Greffulhe winner Pour Moi having also stood his ground.

Aidan O’Brien saddled Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) to win successive renewals of the Derby and again has a typically strong hand.

Ballydoyle’s two major hopes are Dante runner-up Seville and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Recital. O’Brien also saddles Memphis Tennessee and Treasure Beach.

Native Khan, Ed Dunlop’s 2000 Guineas third, steps up half a mile in distance and will be ridden for the first time by Johnny Murtagh.

Godolphin rely on Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Ocean War, the mount of Frankie Dettori.

Alain de Royer-Dupre’s Vadamar was beaten into third by Pour Moi at Saint-Cloud but renews rivalry at Epsom.

Dante third Pisco Sour, Castlemorris King, Marhaba Malyoon and Masked Marvel complete the field.

There were no surprises among the four withdrawals, with Casamento, Genius Beast and Roderic O’Connor poised to run in Sunday’s French Derby.

Nathaniel was also scratched after John Gosden warned conditions were likely to have been too fast.

Godolphin will be harbouring strong hopes of Classic glory with Blue Bunting in today’s Investec Oaks.

Dettori has every faith in the 1000 Guineas heroine and the Italian would not swap his mount for anything else as she attempts to emulate Kazzia, who did the same big-race double for Sheikh Mohammed’s operation in 2002.

Dettori said: “She is the favourite and is a very nice filly, but it isn’t going to be a walk in the park. We expected her to run well at Newmarket but we thought she might not have enough speed to win a Guineas. She proved everybody wrong.

“She’s a very exciting filly and I’m looking forward to Epsom. It is going to be tough against the O’Brien filly (Wonder Of Wonders) and the Dunlop filly (Beatrice Aurore), but we are very happy at this stage where we are with ours. She is a Guineas winner and you’ve got to respect that.”

Al Zarooni added: “We have always regarded her as a nice filly, she made most of the running twice as a juvenile and it’s hard to do that, especially over a straight mile at Newmarket.

“We decided to try and shield her in the Guineas and let her finish the race to try and get placed. They went a good pace and the strong wind made it very difficult for the horses at the front, which also played to her stamina. I think that the best thing to do will be to drop her in at first.

“It takes her a long time to get going in her races – we saw that at Newmarket, when she was outpaced at the start but started to get going in the second half of the race. The course is a bit of an unknown but she is a well-balanced filly and I am hopeful that she can cope with the track.”

Misty For Me was a long way behind Blue Bunting at Newmarket and despite making amends in the Irish Guineas, the choicely-bred Cheshire Oaks victor Wonder Of Wonders appears the chief hope from Ireland.

Ballydoyle’s St Nicholas Abbey bounced back to his brilliant best at Chester but comes up against a formidable opponent in the shape of Midday in the Investec Coronation Cup.

Henry Cecil’s redoubtable mare looked as good as ever when making a successful comeback in York’s Middleton Stakes, with the master of Warren Place saying: “She seems very well in herself. It’s the first time taking on the colts (in a Group One). She’s just coming to herself so hopefully will give a good account. She seems to be a filly who improves as the year goes on.”