Chance for Yorkshire hopefuls to fix their Derby date

The last major trial for Flat racing’s blue riband race, no Yorkshire-trained horse has won the Derby since Dante won the 1945 renewal at Newmarket and today’s race will reveal whether there is any prospect of this 68-year hoodoo being laid to rest on June 1.

It will not be easy. Aidan O’Brien – whose horses have dominated the Derby trials – saddles Indian Chief for Ballydoyle, while Godolphin hope Secret Number can help draw a line under the recent horse doping scandal to envelop their operation and besmirch their reputation.

The prestige of the Dante, the centrepiece of York’s three-day meeting, means that Indian Chief and Secret Number are clearly regarded as above-average three-year-old colts by their illustrious connections who know that it takes a top horse to win this contest.

They also have a tough act to follow after Sir Michael Stoute’s odds-on favoruite Liber Nauticus staked a claim for the Investec Oaks when she got on top close to home to land the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes yesterday.

Yet the Ballydoyle and Godolphin entries for the Dante should not detract from the significance of the White Rose challenge – at least Yorkshire’s resurgent racing industry has two contenders that go to post on merit.

Trained at Coverham near Leyburn by Elaine Burke, Libertarian certainly has a Derby pedigree – he was sired by Jim Bolger’s 2008 Derby victor New Approach.

Another of the sire’s offspring, Dawn Approach, is now ante-post favourite for the Derby after winning the Qipco 2000 Guineas, but Libertarian did win his maiden at Pontefract before finishing fourth at Sandown where he suffered significant interference.

“Libertarian is in great form. He didn’t come out of the Sandown race quite as we would have liked but in the last week he has really blossomed,” said the trainer’s assistant and husband Karl.

“The only positive you could take out of the race at Sandown was that he managed to finish as close as he did and, because of that, I think he has gone under the radar a bit.

“We know he is crying out for a mile-and-a-half already and the Dante is probably going to be on the sharp side for him as well but he is badly in need of experience. Being realistic, if he can finish in the first four, not beaten too far and staying on, it will be an encouraging run. There is no superstar in the race and to me, everything looks up for grabs.

“If it wasn’t for the Derby, we would probably be going a completely different route with him but there is only one Derby and we are keen to get him there if it is at all possible.”

Libertarian’s prospects are most certainly enhanced by the availability of William Buick, who will not be required to ride for his owner John Gosden’s entry because of former champion jockey Paul Hanagan’s retainer with Ghurair’s owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Ghurair chased home Mark Johnston’s Windhoek and Luca Cumani’s well-regarded Greatwood – both of whom reoppose today – in a valuable sales race at Newmarket’s Craven meeting a month ago.

A resurgent Kieren Fallon is particularly bullish about Greatwood, who missed last Saturday’s Lingfield Derby Trial because of a torrential downpour minutes before the race.

Yet, significantly from a local perspective, Windhoek followed up this success with a win at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting under Joe Fanning and Middleham-based Johnston’s biggest concern appears to be the Knavesmire’s rain-softened ground.

“I wish I knew if he acts on softer. He’s only run on good to firm,” said Johnston, whose 1994 Guineas winner Mister Baileys finished fourth in the Derby.

“He’s never run on it before so we’ll just have to see. He’s done everything we’ve asked so far and while he lost a lot of weight after his first run back, he didn’t lose as much last time and he’s not as light as he was last year. I’m happy with his weight now.”

Inclement weather, however, is unlikely to perturb O’Brien’s Indian Chief, who won on soft ground at Leopardstown on his only appearance this season.

He will be ridden by O’Brien’s quietly impressive son Joseph who will then face the unenviable choice of deciding which Ballydoyle horse to ride at Epsom.

Victorious in the Derby last year on Camelot, this could be one of O’Brien’s last chances of Epsom glory – his daily battle against the scales to make the nine stone weight is reportedly becoming even more arduous for the jockey, who is six feet tall.

“He handled an ease in the ground on his debut at Naas last October when second so we won’t be worried about rain, I can’t see the ground being an issue whatever it is,” said O’Brien junior.

“His two-year-old form looked very strong and he was entitled to go and win first time out this year. That form has also been boosted by the second who won nicely next time out. This is the last of the trials and I imagine after this everyone will sit down and sort out who goes where.”

Meanwhile, Saeed Bin Suroor has intimated that today’s mile-and-a-quarter trip could be too short for Secret Number who will be ridden by Silvestre de Sousa – the Brazilian jockey who came to prominence three years ago thanks to his successful association with the aforementioned Johnston.

Secret Number won a Kempton maiden on his only start at two before landing a Listed race at the Dubai Carnival in impressive fashion. He was considered by many to be unlucky when only third in the UAE Derby.

“Secret Number worked on Sunday and went really nicely,” said Bin Suroor who is likely to take over the running of the Godolphin yard vacated by Mahmood Al Zarooni after the latter’s eight-year ban from the sport for doping violations stemming from the illegal injecting of his horses with performance-enhancing steroids.

“He doesn’t show too much in a morning but I think he is a mile-and-a-half horse. The Dante is only 10 furlongs but it should suit him well enough for now.

“I’m really happy with him. We’ll start him off in the Dante and then go from there.

“We’ll keep his Derby options open as I’m sure a mile-and-a-half will suit him best.”