Dettori picks up plum spare for Fabre
The Italian jockey, who is still searching for a first win in the premier Classic, is free to partner the Andre Fabre-trained colt after Godolphin announced Winged Cupid would miss the race.
Fabre confirmed: “Linda’s Lad is a consistent horse and Frankie Dettori definitely rides.”
Linda’s Lad, a Group One winner as a juvenile, is as low as 12-1 with Ladbrokes after claiming the Lingfield Derby Trial on his last start.
Fabre also has hot favourite Visindar in the blue riband and he will be defending a three-race unbeaten record.
He added: “Visindar is in great shape. We will just have to wait and keep our fingers crossed until the big day.
“We have not had as much rain in France as they have had in England but I still think it will just be good ground on the day.”
Kieren Fallon is due partner each of Aidan O’Brien’s four Derby contenders this week as he tries to make the unenviable decision of which to ride in the big race.
Although O’Brien will be well represented, Godolphin will be without a Derby runner for the first time in 10 years after a torrid start to the season.
The Dubai outfit have sent out just one winner in Britain so far this term, and are not planning any runners in the immediate future until the horses begin to come right.
“We have a big string of horses at Newmarket and their well-being comes first,” racing manager Simon Crisford told www.godolphin.com.
“They are clearly not right and, although nothing has come to light so far, we need to operate with the maximum amount of caution at this time.
“Therefore, we are not expecting to have any runners in the immediate future as it will be necessary to give the horses more time to find their form.”
Barry Hills will be hoping Olympian Odyssey can present him with a first win in the world’s most famous Flat race after hitting the crossbar on numerous occasions.
The three-year-old followed up from his encouraging seasonal bow, when he finished second in the Feilden Stakes, by taking third place from George Washington in the 2000 Guineas earlier in the month.
And with a bit of give underfoot likely, Charlie Hills, son and assistant to the Lambourn handler, believes Olympian Odyssey is not without a chance in the race, for which he is as low as 12-1 with totesport.
“Being by Sadler’s Wells and out of a Selkirk mare he should appreciate a bit of cut in the ground,” Hills junior told At The Races.
Meanwhile Philip Carberry notched one of the biggest successes of his career when he teamed up with Princesse D’Anjou to take the Grand Steeplechase de Paris at Auteuil yesterday.
Carberry, who enjoyed a high-profile win aboard Point Barrow in the Irish Grand National last month, rode a perfect waiting race as he came late and fast to floor odds-on favourite Cyrlight.
Turning for home, trainer Arnaud Chaille-Chaille looked set of a one-two as Cyrlight was duelling for the lead with stablemate and two-time French Gold Cup winner Kotkijet.
However, Carberry was just getting to work aboard the Francois Cottin-trained Princesse D’Anjou and he quickly began to reel them in.
Princesse D’Anjou hit the front coming to the last and Carberry conjured a terrific final effort from the five-year-old to win by two and a half lengths from the strong-finishing Rigoreux.
Kotkijet was a further two lengths away in third, with Cyrlight dropping away to finish an eight-length fourth.
Carberry, who had problems getting to the track on time after his plane was delayed, said: “I can’t believe it. This is a very, very good day. She’s a good jumper, and was very fast at the finish. She jumped well all the way around.”
