COUNTDOWN TO INVESTEC OAKS AND DERBY EPSOM DOWNS RACECOURSE

REWILDING AND BUZZWORD ADDED TO THE INVESTEC DERBY AT TODAY’S SUPPLEMENTARY STAGE



Rewilding and Buzzword, both owned by Godolphin and trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, have been added to the Investec Derby field at today’s supplementary entry stage at a cost of £75,000 each.



This boosts the prize money to £1,359,000 for the premier British Classic which is run over a mile and a half at 4pm on Saturday, June 5, at Epsom Downs.



Rewilding won the Listed bluesquare.com Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood by four lengths on May 11, while Buzzword stayed on well towards the end of the Group One Poule D’Essai Des Poulains, the French 2,000 Guineas, over a mile at Longchamp on May 16.



They join Godolphin’s Al Zir, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, who remains in the Investec Derby at the five-day stage, though Ameer and Chabal have been taken out.



Simon Crisford, the Godolphin racing manager, commented: “We have decided to enter Buzzword in the Investec Derby after he worked nicely at the weekend.



“We have wanted to try him over a longer trip ever since he stayed on so well in the French 2,000 Guineas. His work was strong and this has prompted us to go for the Derby.



“We continue to be delighted with Rewilding and also have Al Zir in the Derby. Riding plans will be announced within the next 24 hours.”



The official betting partner of Epsom Downs Racecourse, totesport, has priced Rewilding at 12/1 and Buzzword at 50/1.



There are 15 three-year-old colts, including the two supplementary entries, going forward for the 2010 Investec Derby.



The latest betting from totesport is 9/4 (from 5/2) Jan Vermeer, 4 St Nicholas Abbey, 7 (from 8) Bullet Train, Midas Touch, 15/2 Workforce, 9 Cape Blanco, 12 Rewilding, 14 Azmeel, 25 Coordinated Cut, 33 Al Zir, Ted Spread, 50 Buzzword, 66 Hot Prospect, 100 At First Sight, 150 Bright Horizon - a quarter the odds 1-2-3.



Aidan O’Brien has left all six of his representatives, including StanJames.com 2000 Guineas sixth St Nicholas Abbey, previously the ante-post favourite before drifting sharply in recent days, with stable companion Jan Vermeer now the 9/4 market leader with totesport.



The Irish trainer, who is seeking a third success in the Investec Derby following the victories of Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002), is also responsible for Cape Blanco, who maintained his unbeaten record with a decisive victory in the Group Two totesport.com Dante Stakes at York on May 13, Midas Touch, winner of the Group Two Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on his latest appearance, At First Sight and Bright Horizon.



“It’s looking increasingly likely that Jan Vermeer will go off favourite for this year’s Investec Derby and will surely shorten further if Johnny Murtagh decides to ride him instead of St Nicholas Abbey,” said totesport spokesman George Primarolo.



Henry Cecil and Sir Michael Stoute are the most successful current trainers in the Investec Derby, with both Newmarket handlers having enjoyed four victories. This year Henry Cecil is set to be represented by Bullet Train, the impressive winner of the Group Three totesport.com Derby Trial at Lingfield Park on May 8, while Stoute’s chance of gaining a fifth success in the Classic rests with Workforce, who was runner-up to Cape Blanco at York.



Other Derby-winning trainers likely to be represented in the 2010 renewal include John Golden, successful with Benny The Dip in 1997, who has left in Group Three Dee Stakes scorer Azmeel, while Michael Bell, who saddled Motivator to triumph in 2005, plans to run Coordinated Cut, who landed the valuable Tattersalls Timeform 3-Y-O Trophy at Newmarket in April and was third behind Cape Blanco at York.



Newmarket-based Mark Tompkins sent out Ted Spread to score in the Group Three Chester Vase on May 6 at Chester, while the Michael Jarvis-trained Hot Prospect, third Bullet Train and Coordinated Cut this season, also goes forward for the Investec Derby on Saturday, June 5.



There are good entries for the other six races on Investec Derby Day, with racing starting at 1.40pm with the Investec Vincent O’Brien Handicap.



GOING NEWS



The going is currently Good, good to firm in places. Watering restarted at Epsom Downs at 6am this morning and six millimetres is being applied.



There is some rain forecast for tomorrow and Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing, will review the situation on Wednesday morning. The two-day Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs starts on Friday, June 4.





For further information, please contact:



Rupert Trevelyan, Managing Director at Epsom Downs Racecourse, on 01372 726311



Andrew Cooper, Director of Racing at Epsom Downs Racecourse, on 07774 230850



Johnno Spence at JSC Sport on 07860 583307





THE 2010 INVESTEC DERBY



Class 1, Group 1, £1,359,000 Total Prize Fund, 4.00pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday, June 5, 2010. For three-year-olds only, entire colts & fillies, one mile, four furlongs & 10 yards. Entries closed December 2, 2008 (388 entries). First scratchings deadline noon, March 2, 2010 (122 remained - 2 subsequently scratched), £8,000 secondary entry stage noon, April 6, 2010 (8 extra entries received), second scratchings deadline noon, May 20, 2010 (19 remained, 1 subsequently scratched), £75,000 supplementary entry & five-day confirmation stage, noon, May 31, 2010 (13 entries go forward and 2 supplementary entries), final declaration stage 10am, June 3, 2010.



Form Horse Owner Trainer

113-0 AL ZIR (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

51-23 AT FIRST SIGHT (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

110-21 AZMEEL M Al-Qatami & K M Al-Mudhaf John Gosden

(6)(2)-51 BRIGHT HORIZON Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE

1-21 BULLET TRAIN Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil

355-04 *BUZZWORD Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

111-1 CAPE BLANCO (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

10-13 COORDINATED CUT (IRE) Lawrie Inman Michael Bell

216-33 HOT PROSPECT Alan Spence Michael Jarvis

411-1 JAN VERMEER (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

314-1 MIDAS TOUCH Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Denford Stud Aidan O'Brien IRE

21-21 *REWILDING Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

111-6 ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

013-1 TED SPREAD False Nose 'n Glasses Partnership Mark Tompkins

1-2 WORKFORCE Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute



13 entries go forward and 2 supplementary entries (*)

6 Irish-trained



Taken out today

AMEER (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

AVERROES (IRE) HE Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Clive Cox

CHABAL (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

GUMND (IRE) Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

TROVARE (USA) John Connolly Amanda Perrett



END