LONDON - The formidable team of trainer John Gosden and riding legend Frankie Dettori are strongly-fancied to win the Epsom Derby for a second successive year on Saturday with Wings of Desire.
Wings of Desire and Foundation, both trained by John Gosden (L) will be ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori (R)
They will face 15 rivals, five of whom come from the mighty Aidan O'Brien stable in Ireland -- Golden Horn's triumph last year ending a run of three successive Derby victories for the Irish trainer -- whose best fancied horse is US Army Ranger.
Wings of Desire wasn't even in Gosden's mindset as a potential Derby runner, let alone winner six weeks ago as he had withdrawn him.
However, an impressive win in the influential Derby trial the Dante Stakes at York -- Dettori having chosen to ride him instead of more experienced stable mate Foundation -- forced a rethink and owner Lady Bamford was politely asked by Gosden to come up with the pound sterling75,000 (97,000 euros, $108,000) to supplement him for the Derby, the blue riband event of the turf.
"That was my fault, I thought I'd save the owner pound sterling1000 for the next entry stage and withdraw him," Gosden told AFP.
"Our idea was to aim him for the 'Ascot Derby', the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot later in June.
"However, his win in the Dante changed our minds and we altered course. Thankfully it hasn't cost her any money as he had won that amount in prize money already."
If succesful, Lady Bamford will be amply compensated for that oversight as the winner pockets pound sterling870,000 and there is a precedent for a horse winning it after being supplemented having been withdrawn earlier in the entry process -- as Kris Kin proved in 2003.
- 'Progressing nicely'
Gosden, who is bidding for his third win in the race having first triumphed with Benny The Dip in 1997, acknowledges that Wings of Desire is still pretty callow but he is a progressive type who can cope with the tough Epsom course.
"He's been progressing nicely both mentally and physically and he's trained round Epsom so he knows a bit about the challenge that lies ahead," said the 65-year-old Englishman, whose only concern is the rain that has been falling steadily all week.
If he wins, O'Brien will record a sixth victory in the race to draw alongside the legendary late Vincent O'Brien (no relation).
His stable jockey Ryan Moore has kept the faith with Chester winner US Army Ranger although others such as Deauville, second to Wings of Desire in the Dante, and Port Douglas, who was runner-up to Moore's mount in the Chester Vase, have their supporters too.
O'Brien, modest as they come despite his success, is never one to pinpoint one standout horse.
"The lads (the jockeys) will all work out what they want to do and where they want to be once they see the draw and what's around them," the 46-year-old told At The Races.
"Horses win from every kind of a draw in the Derby -- it just depends how things fall.
"We've been happy with the way everything has gone in the trials. Sometimes you'd rather not win and learn something, than win and learn nothing. It's so far so good."
O'Brien's Irish compatriots, veteran duo Dermot Weld and Jim Bolger send raiders in the shape of Harzand, who will relish the rain that has fallen, and Moonlight Magic respectively.
However, perhaps the joker in the pack could be Ulysses trained by Michael Stoute, who has won the race five times, most notably with the ill-fated Shergar in 1981.
Ulysses earned his place in the field due to an impressive win in a maiden earlier this season.
"I know it's a big step up from a maiden to a Derby, but it's been done before and he's trained by Sir Michael, who knows how to win the race," said jockey Andrea Atzeni.