NEWS ROUND-UP:ST NICHOLAS Abbey might still be a warm favourite for Saturday week's Epsom Derby but it is his stable companion Jan Vermeer who is officially in the best current form ahead the upcoming classic weekend.
Aidan O’Brien has expressed a desire to split up his four horses – St Nicholas Abbey, Jan Vermeer, Cape Blanco and Midas Touch – that currently top the Derby betting between Epsom and the Prix Du Jockey Club which is run at Chantilly the following day.
A decision on which colt goes where is unlikely to be made until Monday next but Johnny Murtagh’s task in picking who he will ride at Epsom could be helped now that he is riding St Nicholas Abbey in his work.
Despite finishing only sixth in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, St Nicholas Abbey remains favourite for Epsom with the bookmakers but on official handicap figures, last year’s European champion juvenile is only third best of the Ballydoyle squad in terms of three- year-old form.
“St Nicholas Abbey ran to 114 at Newmarket. Cape Blanco has been awarded 115 for the Dante by the English handicapper while I’ve given Midas Touch 112 for the Derrinstown which is possibly a bit conservative,” said Ireland’s flat handicapper, Garry O’Gorman yesterday.
“After the Gallinule Stakes, Bobbyscot (runner-up) has been moved up to 105 which, allowing 4lb for a length and three quarters, means Jan Vermeer ran to 116. St Nicholas Abbey ran to 124 last year and Jan Vermeer got to 119 and they haven’t been dropped for their first runs this year. But in terms of their level so far as three- years-olds, Jan Vermeer has done best of the four so far,” O’Gorman added.
Current indications are that St Nicholas Abbey and Midas Touch are all but certain to appear at Epsom but there remains some uncertainty about which classic target will be picked for Jan Vermeer and Cape Blanco.
“There seem to be stamina doubts on paper for Cape Blanco, from the dam line, so I suppose if one was being sacrificed from Epsom to go to Paris it might be him. But that’s a pedigree question and pedigree analysis is not my field,” O’Gorman said.
O’Brien has never won the French Derby and the Ballydoyle focus traditionally has been on Epsom for which St Nicholas Abbey remains a general 2-1 market leader.
Paddy Power bet:2 St Nicholas Abbey, 7 Jan Vermeer Midas Touch, 8 Cape Blanco, 9 Bullet Train, 10 Workforce Rewilding, 14 Azmeel Simon De Montfort (with a run), 20 Coordinated Cut, 25 Bar
