Derby fever moves up the gears

Ante-post favourite Horatio Nelson and Marcus Tregoning’s Sir Percy top 136 entries for the 2006 Vodafone Derby on June 3.

The former, who is part of a strong Aidan O’Brien-trained contingent, is as low as 9-2 with VC Bet for the Epsom Classic after being beaten just once as a juvenile.

Sir Percy inflicted that defeat in the Dewhurst Stakes to finish the season with a 100% record in his four starts.

He is 10-1 with the same firm for the Derby.

Although the majority of the leading fancies have stood their ground, one notable absentee is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Greek Well, who had been well-backed in the winter months – despite not having run last year.

VC Bet spokesman Neal Wilkins said: “We had laid Greek Well to lose nearly a quarter of a million pounds at all odds from 33-1 down to 10-1 and his apparent defection is another blow for ante-post punters, who took it on the chin with a number of high-profile casualties before the Cheltenham Festival.”

However, Stoute did withdraw the 2003 Derby winner Kris Kin at the corresponding stage three years ago before supplementing the colt back in after his win in the Dee Stakes at Chester.

Stoute is still represented by seven other colts, headed by the Michael Tabor-owned City Of Troy, while O’Brien has a total of 19 entries.

Godolphin still have 24 possibles at this stage with recent recruit Stepping Up and Haasem, an unraced half-brother to the top-class Sakhee, among the list of possibles.

Vodafone Derby

VC Bet bet: 9-2 Horatio Nelson, 10 Sir Percy, 14 George Washington, Nakheel, 25 City Of Troy, Pescatorio, Septimus, Galileo Galilel, Ivan Denisovich, 33 Aussie Rules, Fire And Rain, Palace Episode, Rampallion, Winged Cupid, Atlantic Waves, 40 Emirates Skyline, Primary, Puerto Rico. Others on request