Local trainer Roger Teal is enjoying having a “live contender” in The Derby at Epsom Downs this Saturday.
He’ll take Dancing Gemini to the iconic Surrey course, a well fancied Colt who is gaining momentum amongst punters this week.
Britain’s richest horse race and the most famous of the five classics, The Derby sits in the middle of the Flat season’s triple crown, preceded by the 2000 Guineas.
“To even have a runner in the Derby is something special, but to go there with a live contender is even better”, said Teal, who worked in Epsom for years as assistant to Philip Mitchell.
City of Troy, trained by nine-time winner Aidan O’Brien, was odds-on favourite in the Guineas at Newmarket, but fluffed his lines somewhat and will return at Epsom.
“Every horse is entitled to run a bad race, but obviously he has blotted his copybook”, said Teal.
“We’d be going anyway, even if he had won.
“You’ve got to respect him, and they have to respect us as well.”
Many are looking for value elsewhere, often landing on Teal’s Dancing Gemini, who shares a lineage with 2012 winner Camelot and 2014 winner Australia.
Fifth favourite and enjoying odds as low as 10/1 this week, the three-year-old will face a step up in distance, having won twice over 7f and taking two second places.
“He’s bred to stay”, said Teal, who has no concerns over the step up in trip.
“He has form on soft ground. We wouldn’t want much more rain to test his stamina, but we can’t control that!”
Coming an unfortunate second in the French 2,000 Guineas in his last appearance, Teal was disappointed.
“I was a bit gutted that we had that inch of rain in 20 minutes before the race, and they delayed the race by an hour. It’s one of those unfortunate things”, he said.
Plenty will be keeping their eye on this Lambourn prospect as he and Teal look to make history this Saturday.
