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9 Mar 2017

Derby dream still alive for The Queen

Golden Horn wins the Derby

John Gosden, successful with Golden Horn in 2015, has a dozen Derby possibles on his hands. Picture: Racingfotos.com

The Investec Derby dream remains alive for Her Majesty The Queen. The 129 three-year-olds going forward for glory on June 3, following the scratchings deadline, include two who could carry the royal colours in the premier British classic.

Call To Mind, trained by William Haggas, and Frontispiece, in the care of Sir Michael Stoute, are the two colts owned by The Queen who remain in contention for the Derby, the only British Classic to have eluded her.

The mile and a half feature will carry prize money of £1.5 million and forms part of the Middle Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

Frontispiece, by Shamardal, was successful on his only start at Ascot in 2016 and formed part of our Dark Horses series. Click on this link to read more about him.

Call To Mind is an unraced son of eight-time champion sire and Derby victor Galileo, out of Group 2 winner Memory.

Along with Aidan O’Brien, Stoute is jointly the most successful current trainer in the Derby with five successes and the Newmarket handler has seven entries going forward.

In addition to Frontispiece, the master of Freemason Lodge could also be represented by Elucidation, Mirage Dancer and Pivoine, who were all maiden winners last year.

John Gosden, who recently received an OBE from The Queen, saddled Golden Horn to success in the 2015 Derby to add to his victory with Benny The Dip in 1997.

The Newmarket handler has a dozen contenders remaining including the maiden winners Azam, Crowned Eagle, and Glencadam Glory, plus the unraced Erdogan, who is by Frankel out of the multiple Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi.

This is the first acceptance stage for the Derby since horses were entered as yearlings on December 1, 2015.

There are three other ways three-year-olds can be added to the line-up on June 3 – at the £9,000 second entry stage on April 4, at the £85,000 supplementary entry stage on May 29, or by succeeding in the £50,000 Investec Derby Trial at the Investec Spring Meeting, which is staged at Epsom on April 26.

Last year’s renewal was won by Harzand, who in the process gave Dermot Weld his first winner of the iconic contest.