Handsome dividend for Kin connections

Kris Kin more than repaid £90,000 (€128,000) worth of faith shown by his owner Saeed Suhail and landed a major gamble by sweeping to a scintillating success under champion jockey Kieren Fallon in the Vodafone Derby at Epsom.

Michael Stoute had originally withdrawn the Kris S colt from the Classic at the first forfeit stage because he was considered too lazy but following the success of his charge in Chester’s Dee Stakes, the trainer had a change of heart and the horse was supplemented at Monday’s five-day stage.

However, owner, trainer and punters – who backed the horse from 12-1 to 6-1 in a nationwide plunge – had nothing but praise for Fallon who contributed to the one-length success over The Great Gatsby with what the Newmarket maestro described as “one of the really great rides you will ever see at Epsom”.

Fallon had his mount in midfield as the running was cut out by The Great Gatsby and Dutch Gold and coming down the famous hill into Tattenham Corner there was still plenty of distance between the rail-scraping partnership and the race leaders.

However, three furlongs from home Fallon pulled Kris Kin off the rail in sixth place before driving his mount past his five rivals for Derby glory and the £852,600 (€1.2m) first prize.

This was the third Derby success for Stoute following the victories of Shergar and Shahrastani in the eighties and the second for Fallon (Oath 1999) but for both men, who have formed an awesome team in the last couple of years, it was as sweet as any.

“It is a great thrill, maybe the greatest of all, to win the Derby,” said Stoute.

“I have been lucky enough to have had some very good horses and to have won some big races all round the world, but there is something extra special about winning the Derby. It is the best of all.

“It has been a very long time since 1986 (when Shahrastani won), so long that I have almost forgotten about it.

“We have had some ups and downs in the hears since then and I am delighted for Kris Kin’s owner Saeed Suhail, who has been a great supporter of ours over the years and has had his share of disappointments as well.”

It was Suhail who had to stump up the £90,000 (€128,000) supplementary fee after Stoute had withdrawn the colt from the race last autumn.

“I put him in the French Derby because I thought that Chantilly would suit him better than Epsom,” admitted Stoute.

“So when we decided to supplement him after he had won at Chester we had to pay to put him in again!”

“He has always been a progressive colt. He won his second start as a two-year-old and then won the Dee Stakes at Chester when Kieren got off him to ride Big Bad Bob.

“Kris Kin is a very lazy worker at home which is why Kieren chose not to ride him at Chester.”

Stoute admitted he was hopeful of success when his charge came down the hill.

He said: “Two furlongs out I was sure he was going to run a big race and get pretty close. But it was not until near the end that I realised he was going to win.

“It was one of the great rides round Epsom.”

Fallon, who overcame personal problems during the winter, told how almost everything had gone his way.

“There was a little trouble at the top of the hill, where you usually get it when the horses cross over from the outside – it got a bit tight – I was worried there but I let him find himself and he was OK,” he said.

“He got a couple of bumps but was man enough to hold his position when it got very rough.

“Coming round the home turn to the straight, I knew when I dug deep he was going to answer. He found another gear and has done it well.

“A Classic was one of my goals this year – a championship was never on the agenda as such.”

Pat Eddery made a gallant effort to give Aidan O’Brien a third successive Derby aboard The Great Gatsby.

“I couldn’t have asked for better,” he said. “I could have done with a little bit softer ground, but he’s run a great race and I can’t complain.”

John Oxx, trainer of third-placed Alamshar, would not fear taking on Kris Kin again.

“We’re as happy as we can be with the result and there’s not much between them. It just depends on who has improved the most on the day,” said the Curragh-based trainer.

“The winner just kicked and found a length more than we did today.”

However, Alamshar had no problem getting the distance, according to his jockey Johnny Murtagh.

“He seemed to stay on very well,” he said. “There was a worry about him staying but I think all he did today was stay.”

The biggest disappointments of the race were Refuse To Bend, the 11-4 favourite, and one of his main market rivals, Brian Boru.

Both appeared to be travelling better than the winner downhill and rounding Tattenham Corner.

The latter was the first to crack, and his jockey Michael Kinane said :”He didn’t really run that well. It’s disappointing.”

Although Refuse To Bend fared a little better, he failed to get the trip according to his jockey Pat Smullen.

“He possibly didn’t stay; I’d say that was the biggest factor,” said Smullen.

“He felt well and down the hill I thought I was in with a shot of winning. But it was probably a bridge too far.”

David Elsworth, trainer of fourth-placed Norse Dancer, said: “He was left quite a lot to do but saw the race out well. One’s a little frustrated in a way - there’s only one Derby and it’s the only chance he’d get.

“I’m disappointed with the result, but delighted that the horse has run so well.”