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A total of 26 contenders remain engaged in the £1.5 million Investec Derby, the premier Classic and Britain's richest race, at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3, after today's scratchings' stage.
Aidan O'Brien, seeking a sixth Investec Derby victory, has nine going forward including QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Churchill, who is 3/1 favourite with Unibet, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival. All Unibet odds for the Investec Derby are now offered on a non-runner, no bet basis. O'Brien also trains Cliffs Of Moher, who is the 7/2 second favourite with Unibet following his impressive success in the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester on May 12.
The contingent from Ireland's champion Flat trainer, also contains the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial 1-2-3, Douglas Macarthur (16/1 with Unibet), Yucatan (14/1) and Capri (20/1), plus Venice Beach (12/1) Wings Of Eagles (25/1) and The Anvil (33/1), who were first, second and third respectively in the G3 Chester Vase. Finn McCool (40/1) completes the Ballydoyle contingent.
O'Brien's son Joseph, who partnered his father's Investec Derby winners Camelot (2012) and Australia (2014), could saddle his first runner as a trainer with Rekindling (20/1), winner of the G3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown in April and fourth in the G2 Dante Stakes at York last week.
Newmarket handler John Gosden is seeking a third Investec Derby success and has a quartet of entries going forward headed by the unbeaten Cracksman (4/1), who proved his ability to handle Epsom Downs when taking the Investec Derby Trial by a short-head from Permian on April 26.
Gosden's other possible starters are Listed Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Glencadam Glory (25/1), recent impressive Windsor handicap scorer Crowned Eagle (20/1) and Pealer (33/1), a 19-length winner at Southwell on May 8.
The Maktoum family's Godolphin operation has six entries going forward - G2 Dante Stakes second Benbatl (Saeed bin Suroor, 16/1), the 2016 G2 Royal Lodge Stakes scorer Best Of Days (Hugo Palmer, 25/1), Listed Lingfield Derby Trial winner Best Solution (10/1), recent 10-length Newbury maiden victor Dubai Thunder (Saeed bin Suroor, 16/1), plus G3 Chester Vase fourth Tamleek (Saeed bin Suroor, 33/1) and Thunder Snow (Saeed bin Suroor, 25/1), winner of the G2 UAE Derby at Meydan in March.
Andre Fabre was the last French-based to train to saddle an Investec Derby winner when Pour Moi was successful in 2011. This year Fabre could be represented by Waldgeist (20/1), who landed the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last year and was second on his reappearance in the G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on May 8.
Other contenders going forward include G3 Craven Stakes scorer and QIPCO 2000 Guineas sixth Eminent (Martyn Meade, 7/1) and Mirage Dancer (12/1), who was a staying-on fourth in the Dee Stakes and hails from the stable of five-time Investec Derby-winning trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
The next acceptance stage for the Investec Derby is on Monday, May 29, when there is also a final chance for horses to be added to the field with the £85,000 supplementary entry stage. Permian (Mark Johnston, 14/1), winner of the G2 Dante Stakes, is expected to be added to the field at the supplementary entry stage.
Investec Derby, latest Unibet odds - NON-RUNNER, NO BET
3/1 Churchill
7/2 Cliffs Of Moher
4/1 Cracksman
7/1 Eminent
10/1 Best Solution
12/1 Venice Beach, Permian, Mirage Dancer
14/1 Yucatan
16/1 Benbatl, Dubai Thunder, Douglas Macarthur
20/1 Rekindling, Waldgeist, Capri, Crowned Eagle
25/1 Thunder Snow, Best of Days, Wings Of Eagles, Glencadam Glory
33/1 The Anvil, Tamleek, Pealer
40/1 Finn Mccool
66/1 Salouen
