Unfurled enters Derby picture

Another key trial for the Vodafone Derby passed without punters getting much in the way of Classic clues as Unfurled outfought Indigo Cat to claim the Letheby & Christopher Predominate Stakes at Goodwood today.

Last week’s Dante Stakes – and possibly the Chester Vase – aside, those looking for pointers to solving the annual Epsom riddle might be scratching their heads at present.

And although the John Dunlop-trained Unfurled is set to join his stablemate Kong in next month’s blue riband event, nobody seemed to be rushing to snap up the best-priced quotes of 25-1 from VCBet, Totesport, Cashmans and Ladbrokes.

Richard Quinn’s mount looked beaten coming into the final furlong as Indigo Cat took it up on the rails but dug deep to challenge again.

Indigo Cat looked a little unsure of himself in the final strides whereas Unfurled, sent off the 6-5 favourite, clearly knew his job and got back up to win by a head.

Tragedian set off in front while Quinn settled Unfurled on his heels as they went a steady pace and the pair were still in the front rank turning for home.

Quinn turned up the pace a notch and Tragedian soon fell away leaving Unfurled, Belenus and Indigo Cat to battle it out.

Godolphin’s Belenus found disappointingly little and drifted left under pressure in the final quarter-mile but the Aidan O’Brien-trained Indigo Cat made a real race of it on the inner under Kieren Fallon before the winner proved just too strong.

“He probably found this ground to be a bit quick but it was only the fourth run of his life and he’s entitled to go to Epsom now,” said Quinn, who later went on to complete a 11-2 double when Something Exciting took the Lupe.

“He is a galloper. He was headed at the furlong pole but he has battled right to the line.”

Dunlop added: “He’d only won a maiden and we came here today not knowing quite what to expect.

“It’s hard to say but I think the others quite liked their horses and the form might not be bad.

“He is a straightforward sort of horse, totally relaxed and not in any way flamboyant, but a most charming horse and he’d have preferred a bit of give today.

“Obviously you can’t blame anyone at Goodwood when the weather is the way it is but it’s pretty quick ground out there.

“I’ll talk to the owners but I would think that he’ll probably run at Epsom along with Kong (Lingfield Derby Trial winner).

“I don’t have a line between the two and he’s not a similar type of horse but they have both run well enough to deserve going for the Derby if that’s what we decide we want to do.”

Quinn will have the option of riding either horse, or David Elsworth’s The Geezer – second to Motivator at York last week – in the big race.

While Indigo Cat’s trainer Aidan O’Brien was absent, it was left to travelling head lad Pat Keating to welcome home the runner-up.

“He is still green but he has run well and kept battling away,” he said. “I don’t know what thoughts the guv’nor has about the Derby.”

Fallon said that he was satisfied with Indigo Cat’s performance but added: “He ran very green.”

Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor was not too downhearted by the run of Belenus, feeling that the Dubai Millennium colt probably needed the outing.

He said: “He ran OK. He will certainly appreciate the run – he needed it.

“We will see how he comes back now. He has lots of class so we are going to keep our options open. He’s still in the Derby and at Royal Ascot.

“He will need to improve more physically and mentally but he will learn from this run.

“A mile and two furlongs will be fine for him but I think he has the class to stay a mile and a half.”