A TOTAL of 159 horse's stood their ground at yesterday's forfeit stage for the 1997 Epsom Derby, which is set to break the £1m prize money barrier for the first time in the history of the race.
The forfeit was the first stage since 554 horses were entered as yearlings on December 6th 1995 and the number of acceptors compares favourably with the 150 announced 12 months ago. There are 17 Irish-trained horse left in, with Dermot Weld having six, John Oxx four and Aidan O'Brien three.
Epsom's clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "We are delighted with the number of horses remaining engaged. This keeps us bang on target for the first £1m Derby and continues to vindicate the yearling entry system.
"Any horse not yet engaged in the 1997 Vodafone Derby, run on Saturday June 7th, can be entered by Wednesday April 9th at a cost of £8,000."
Saeed bin Suroor has made a bumper entry of 10 horses in a bid to repeat last season's victory in the 2 000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 3rd.
The British champion trainer, successful in the 1996 running of the Classic with Mark Of Esteem, has a strong hand among the total of 83 entries, with the likes of Racing Post Trophy winner Medaaly and Derby fancy Happy Valentine.
But Henry Cecil is also taking no chances, with a team of seven, including four fillies Fleet River, Reams Of Verse, Sleepytime and Yashmak, although the latter quartet would all be expected to be targeted at the 1,900 Guineas. The last filly to win the 2,000 Guineas was Garden Path in 1944.
All the leading ante-post candidates are named among the entries including European champion two-year-old Revoque, and Bahhare, second in the 1996 international classifications.
A total of 60 fillies have been entered for the 1,000 Guineas, to be run on May 4th. As with the 2,000 Guineas, the ante-post market leaders are all present and correct.
Bin Suroor heads the list with seven, with Aidan O'Brien and Cecil next with six.
Newmarket clerk of the course Nick Lees revealed that the course will begin watering today to promote grass growth. He said: "We have been desperately short of rain so far this year with only 8.5 millimetres in January, 33.5 millimetres in February and three millimetres so far in March. The temperature is now warm enough for grass to grow and we just want to encourage that process.
Shirley Heights, winner of the 1978 Epsom and Irish Derbys, has had to be put down following an acute kidney failure. The 22-year-old sire was struck down at the Sandringham Stud, Norfolk, late on Monday evening.
