RACING: EPSOM DERBY:FRENCH CHALLENGER Pour Moi usurped Carlton House as Derby favourite last night on Betfair, with the pair trading at 5.2 and 5.3 respectively on the exchanges at 6.30pm.
Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin said: “Carlton House has been friendless in our Derby market today – drifting from 5 to 2 and now hitting 9 to 2 – and is in danger of being relegated to third favourite behind new market leader Pour Moi and Recital.
“The betting signs are beginning to look ominous about him lining up on Saturday; let’s hope they are wrong.”
Trained by Michael Stoute, Carlton House has been favourite since winning last month’s Dante Stake at York. But his preparation for the race suffered a considerable jolt when he sustained a strained ankle in a work-out on Monday.
Connections intimated a decision on his participation is set to be made tomorrow, which would indicate he is at least likely to be declared this morning.
The Queen’s racing manager, John Warren, said: “We’ve got the next few days to see if it (the ankle strain) is cooling itself down – that’s going to be key.
“The good thing is the horse is sound and he’s moving well. He’s on trotting exercise but, of course, Sir Michael Stoute would love to be getting some good cantering into him at this point.
“Luckily, we’ve got the most experienced trainer in the country and the best rider (Ryan Moore) in the country.
“We’ve got a chance (of running). It’s not without a possibility that he’ll stand in the line-up. He won’t run unless the trainer is completely content that he’s sound. By Friday we’ll know more.”
Carlton House worked over six furlongs on Sunday, and also had a routine canter on Monday, after which the problem was discovered. Stoute’s colt underwent X-rays on Tuesday morning, but no serious damage was revealed.
Warren, speaking on talkSPORT, said: “There is no medication allowed into a horse going into a race. All that can be done is to ice him, wrap him, and hose him, and just get the blood circulating into that joint to speed the process up. It’s wait and see for the next 48 hours.”
Fabre’s compatriot Alain de Royer-Dupre, by contrast, issued a more upbeat bulletin when assessing the progress of another French raider, Vadamar. The Aga Khan’s colt had a genuine excuse when finishing third at odds-on behind Pour Moi at Saint-Cloud four weeks ago.
“He had an injury in his last race. He cut his leg, but now he is perfect, which is why we want to come and try for the big race,” said Royer-Dupre.
“He can go on soft and good ground and he is a very easy horse to ride. He stays, and could have a big acceleration and I think he has a chance. He didn’t have a good result the last day, but I think he is interesting to run.”
Meanwhile, Kieren Fallon has been urged to play it cool on Recital – by the man who knows the colt as well as anyone.
Leading French bloodstock agent Gilles Forien bred the highly-strung colt, on behalf of the Renee Geffroy and Caragh umbrella, before he was knocked down to Coolmore for €750,000.
Many observers feel Recital will be ill at ease competing at Epsom, which is renowned for its unpredictable cambers, after he hung discernibly left when winning the Derrinstown Stud Trial in May.
Forien does not prescribe to that theory, but feels Fallon needs to be more considered than at Leopardstown, when he made a winning move two furlongs from home – a fact the rider has acknowledged since after what was his first outing on the colt.
“We bred Recital and sold him in Deauville for top price, so I know a lot about him,” said Forien. “He is a very strong horse, but I am not worried about his attitude, or his ability – I am worried about how the horse will be ridden.
“He should be held up until the last furlong at the very earliest, otherwise I do not think he can win,” he added.
