Dawn Approach dominates Derby build-up

Dubai: Godolphin’s red-hot ante-post favourite Dawn Approach continues to hold sway over his rivals as the countdown to the 2013 Epsom Derby (G1) kicks into top gear.

Trained by Jim Bolger in Ireland, the three-year-old will bid to emulate his illustrious sire New Approach, who won both the 1,000 Guineas (G1) and Derby in 2008.

The dust has settled on most of the key Derby trials, with Saturday’s the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) being the last conceivable gateway to the June 1 showpiece.

Bolger saddles five hopefuls, with last week’s Dante (G2) runner-up Trading Leather looking the pick of the Coolcullen quintet.

Loch Garman, Leitir Mor, Einsteins Folly and Wexford Opera complete Bolger’s little army of horses.

Irish champion Aidan O’Brien, who won the Derby with Camelot last year and has seven Epsom potentials, is set to saddle eight runners in Saturday’s Irish Classic.

Heading the Ballydoyle raiding party are a trio of horses who behind Dawn Approach in the Guineas at Newmarket including Cristoforo Colombo (5th), Mars (6th), George Vancouver (10th).

Johnny Murtagh, the former champion jockey who only recently took out a trainer’s licence, is represented by Fort Knox and Ask Dan.

Meanwhile, Sir Michael Stoute’s lightly-raced Telescope, whose participation in the Derby was in doubt after he missed the Dante due to injury, has stormed back into the reckoning.

The son of Galileo buoyed Stoute, a three-time Derby-winning trainer, with a smart piece of work on Newmarkets’ sweeping Limekilns gallops.

Telescope worked in tandem with an older-horse ridden by Ryan Moore. The pair galloped a mile and a quarter with the former showing a superior turn-of-foot in the final two furlongs to finish well clear of his work-mate.

The performance pleased his owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Wavertree with representative Harry Herbert saying in the Racing Post: “Sir Michael called me and said he was very, very pleased with the horse. It was a proper piece of work on the trial ground.

“There’s no sign of the leg issue and, providing he’s happy with him tonight and tomorrow morning, he could go for a gallop at Lingfield on Wednesday. Everything is trying to lead to Epsom at the moment but obviously everything has to go right — there can’t be another blip.

“At the moment Sir Michael is keen to stress that it’s a day-by-day process, but today was a very important piece of work because he wanted to see him stretch fully and he [Telescope] was full of himself. Those who are around him on a daily basis were delighted with him. All being well it will take him to the next stage, which could be the racecourse gallop on Wednesday.”

Telescope is a 6-1 shot for the Derby with a run, behind Dawn Approach (Evens) and Battle of Marengo.