This registered Derby trial has not had much bearing on the big race itself over recent years, Kris Kin being the last horse to win this on the way to Classic success in 2003. The race itself does not look very strong and revolves around the favourite Drumbeat, who has the best form on offer and could prove to be good value come after the race. However, his task is far from straight forward as there are many unknown quantities lurking in the line-up, mostly notably John Gosden's Big Bound.
Drumbeat hails from the in-form stable of Aidan O'Brien and looks primed to run a big race under Johnny Murtagh. Even though he is thoroughly exposed having had nine races to date, he stays well and should find the better ground to his liking. He made a pleasing return to action in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket at their Craven meeting and finished two lengths behind the unbeaten-Redwood, who looks a useful prospect. He stayed on well that day off a steady gallop but was no match for the winner. He does have some good form to his name from his two-year-old career, where he was beaten by Classic contender Rip Van Winkle on his debut before being beaten by Derby fancy Fame And Glory at Saint-Cloud in November on ground softer than ideal. These little pieces of form are by far the best on show and if he was to run up to his official rating of 111 that should prove good enough. He is a big price for the Derby at present and his stable seem to have a stronger chance with Fame And Glory, however; a good run from Drumbeat here could force his trainer to re-shuffle his plans.
Big Bound has taken a while to learn the ropes but seems to be progressing with every run and he looks sure to improve once again. He ran a blinder last time out in a Sandown Group 3, where he was narrowly denied by Above Average of Barry Hills. This was a huge improvement on the form he had shown prior, as just a month earlier he shed his maiden tag by taking a modest Lingfield contest in workmanlike fashion under Jimmy Fortune. He obviously stays well and will appreciate this quicker surface. However, he does not have a Derby entry and it does seem as if this performance will determine his route for the remainder of the season.
Gitano Hernando could be the one to prove most troublesome to Drumbeat. He comes here chasing a hat-trick having won a tight Doncaster handicap in good style to supplement his easy maiden win at Wolverhampton in November. Marco Botti is a smart trainer and it must be noted when he puts his horses into Group company fresh off the back of a win in lesser company. On official ratings, he has over a stone to make up with Drumbeat but stamina does seem his to be his strong suit so on just his second start over this distance, he could well find the necessary progression to make the step up to Group class. Like Big Bound, he does not have a Derby entry and it could be a fact-finding mission to see how good he is or potentially could be.
Libel Law is worthy of respect having won his maiden at Windsor in comfortable fashion over this distance. He seemed to relish the step up in trip that day and fairly powered home under Philip Robinson to score by a cosy two lengths. This is his acid test to see if he can handle the step up to Group company and trainer Michael Jarvis is another trainer who does not enter his horses in contests in which they have no chance. Apparently he has strengthened up during the close season and having only his third start, it would be no surprise for him to improve again and supply Frankie Dettori with his first winner of this year's Chester meeting.
The remainder have it all to do on the form book but as stated earlier, improvement cannot be ruled out. South Easter is an interesting runner being pitched straight into the company after he made a pleasing debut behind an impressive winner at Newbury at their Greenham meeting in April. He was well supported that day and will find the extra distance to his liking, even though he does have to make massive strides to feature.
Selections: 1st - Drumbeat, 2nd - Gitano Hernando, 3rd - Big Bound.
Result: 1st - South Easter, 6/1, 2nd - Gitano Hernando, 7/2, 3rd - Drumbeat, 11/10 fav.
This race looks unlikely to provide the winner of the Derby in June but upmost credit must go to South Easter for losing in his maiden tag in a Group 3 on only his second career start. It was a muddling affair, where the runners went steady for most of the contest before quickening up in the final two furlongs and it produced a thrill four-way finish, with about a length covering the runners at the finish. South Easter has obviously improved massively since his first race and stayed on gamely to win for trainer William Haggas and jockey Neil Callan. He appreciated the step up to a mile and quarter, and despite being niggled at three furlongs from home, he kept on all the way to the line to deny Gitano Hernando by a head. Gitano Hernando ran a gallant race in second and he only just failed. He was stuck behind a wall of horses turning for home and needed the split badly, but as soon as daylight appeared, he shot through and quickened up but found the winner too good; he certainly looks one to keep an eye on throughout the season. Drumbeat was staying on all the way to the line but was set too much to do by jockey Johnny Murtagh. He was anchored in rear for most of the journey and when asked to close, he ran into trouble but was closing with every stride and finished just a quarter of a length down in third. Deposer ran a huge race in fourth, belying his big price to keep pace with the first three. He could win a nice race dropped in grade. Libel Law and Big Bound disappointed as both were prominent throughout but failed to stay on as well as the first four. They may not have handled the sharp Chester track or the ground could have been a bit too quick, however, they should be noted for the future as they are both relatively unexposed.
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