South Africans Bernard Kantor and Markus Jooste will both enjoy the honour of having a runner in the £1,500,000 Gr1 Investec Derby, which will be run for the 239th time on Saturday 2 June.
Cape racecaller Rouvaun Smit called a race at this festival in past years – seen with Investec boss, Bernard Kantor (photo: supplied)
Epsom is the venue for the greatest Flat race in the world and the Investec Derby Festival also features the Investec Oaks and the Investec Coronation Cup, both also run over the Derby course of one mile and four furlongs for fillies and older horses respectively, on Investec Ladies’ Day.
.Markus Jooste (r) with his Racing Manager Derek Brugman
Kantor, Managing Director of Investec, sponsor of the Investec Derby Festival, owns Young Rascal who is saddled by Williiam Haggas, while Jooste is a partner in Rostropovich, one of seven Aidan O’Brien runners.
Derby ante-post favourite Saxon Warrior is one of 16 horses going forward and one of seven remaining contenders for Britain and Ireland’s reigning champion Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien. He maintained his unbeaten record in style when powering to victory in Britain’s first Classic, the Gr1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas, over a mile at Newmarket on May 5.
The son of Japanese stallion sensation Deep Impact is the 8/11 market leader with Unibet, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival, as he bids to become just the third horse this century to complete the QIPCO 2000 Guineas/Investec Derby double after Sea The Stars (2009) and Camelot (2012).
|
Horse |
Owner |
Trainer |
|
AL MUFFRIH (IRE) |
Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum |
William Haggas |
|
DEE EX BEE |
Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum |
Mark Johnston |
|
DELANO ROOSEVELT (IRE) |
Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
|
HAZAPOUR (IRE) |
HH Aga Khan |
Dermot Weld IRE |
|
KEW GARDENS (IRE) |
Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
|
KNIGHT TO BEHOLD (IRE) |
L Neil Jones |
Harry Dunlop |
|
MASAR (IRE) |
Godolphin |
Charlie Appleby |
|
NELSON (IRE) |
Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
|
ROARING LION (USA) |
Qatar Racing Limited |
John Gosden |
|
ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) |
Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Sue Magnier/Markus Jooste |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
|
SAXON WARRIOR (JPN) |
Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
|
SEVENNA STAR (IRE) |
Gestut Ammerland |
John Gosden |
|
STUDY OF MAN (IRE) |
Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd |
Pascal Bary FR |
|
THE PENTAGON (IRE) |
Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
|
YOUNG RASCAL (FR) |
Bernard Kantor |
William Haggas |
|
ZABRISKIE (IRE) |
Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd |
Aidan O’Brien IRE |
William Haggas has Gr3 Chester Vase victor Young Rascal, who had his first experience of Epsom Downs Tuesday morning when working at the Breakfast With The Stars event and Newbury maiden scorer Al Muffrih going forward.
The Newmarket handler won the world’s greatest Flat race at his first attempt with Shaamit in 1996 and saddled the 2015 third Storm The Stars from just three Investec Derby runners to date
The disgraced former Mayfair Speculators boss Markus Jooste is a part owner of the Aidan O’Brien runner Rostropovich, winner of the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester.
Listed Lingfield Derby Trial second Kew Gardens, Gr3 Ballysax Stakes winner Nelson and Dante Stakes third Zabriskie complete the O’Brien acceptors as the trainer chases a record-equalling seventh Investec Derby victory.
