FRIDAY, 2 JUNE, 2017 BEST FOR LAST AT BROODMARE SALE NINETEEN SET FOR Book 1 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale came to INVESTEC DERBY a close on the Gold Coast on Thursday and the best was indeed saved for the last day, with the Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed Gregers (Aus) (Commands {Aus}) (lot 1240) topping the three-day sale with a bid of A$1.75-million from Yu Long Investments. That toppled the A$1.7-million commanded by Nurse Kitchen (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) during Tuesday=s opening session. With two mares bringing seven figures on Thursday, the cumulative gross for 711 sold reached a record A$105,530,000. The clearance rate finished at 83.5% compared to 82% last year when 178 fewer horses were offered and 155 fewer sold. The average was up 10.5% to A$148,425, while the median climbed 14.3% to A$80,000. Thirty-seven were sold for a half-million or more compared to 26 last year. "The overall figures for the sale are just stunning," Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said. Cont. in Worldwide News p12 Ryan Moore and his Derby mount Cliffs of Moher | racingfotos.com IN TDN AMERICA TODAY CASSE SEES NO REASON TO STOP WITH CLASSIC EMPIRE Mark Casse is bullish on champion juvenile Classic Empire Only Finn McCool (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was removed from the (Pioneerof the Nile)’s chances in the 1 1/2-mile GI Belmont S. equation for Saturday=s G1 Investec Derby at Thursday=s June 10. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. confirmation stage, with his trainer Aidan O=Brien still represented by six colts headed by possible favourite and >TDN Rising Star= Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He has been drawn in 13, with fellow son of Galileo Capri (Ire) in the Alucky@ stall 10, which was the berth of Galileo himself, Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Sir Percy (GB) and Ruler of the World (Ire). Galileo accounts for five of the 19 runners, while another four are sired by his sons, so the Coolmore great=s presence will be keenly felt once again. Ryan Moore is on Cliffs of Moher, with Donnacha O'Brien on Venice Beach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Colm O'Donoghue on Douglas Macarthur (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Seamie Heffernan on Capri, Padraig Beggy on Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) and Ana O'Brien on The Anvil (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Galileo=s pinnacle at stud came via Frankel (GB) and the AFrankel factor@ is a key topic again here. Although the Juddmonte immortal never undertook the Derby challenge himself, he has two strong contenders from his first crop in Cracksman (GB) and Eminent (Ire) in 2017. Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 2 JUNE, 2017 Nineteen Set For Investec Derby Cont. from p1 Drawn favourably in seven and four, respectively, the former is charged with the responsibility of following in the footsteps of fellow Anthony Oppenheimer-owned and bred Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). While Cracksman lacks vital conditioning at the racecourse, having been forced to swerve the G2 Dante S. due to the downpours at York, he did beat that contest=s winner Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the Investec Derby Trial over 10 furlongs here on Apr. 26 and looked as if this extra trip would play to his strengths. Oppenheimer is cautiously optimistic as he ponders a second blue riband in three years. ACracksman is a lovely, laid-back horse, but he=s quite different to Golden Horn,@ he said. AGolden Horn had an awful lot of speed and John Gosden always felt he could have won the 2000 Guineas if he hadn=t been as immature as a 2-year-old. This horse doesn=t have that speed. I just hope he has enough at the end of the race on Saturday.@ Missing the Dante is a drawback to Cracksman=s chances and leaves his owner-breeder in the dark as to his standing in this year=s renewal. AJohn feels he=s improved considerably since he last ran and his form looks good after the horse he beat at Epsom won the Dante, but I can=t say I=m confident,@ he added. AJohn and Frankie are both very confident this horse will stay as he is so laid-back, but he does need to improve a great deal. I can=t see him finishing any better than third or fourth myself, but I wasn=t confident about Golden Horn winning the Derby, either, as I didn=t think he=d stay.@ Cont. p3 Cracksman besting Permian in the Investec Derby Trial | Racing Post TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 2 JUNE, 2017 Nineteen Set For Investec Derby Cont. Whereas John Gosden understands the thrill of winning this prize, fellow trainer Martyn Meade is a relative novice in this type of arena, but in Eminent he has a colt with all the main credentials to provide a landmark success. He lined up for the G1 2000 Guineas one of the leading protagonists after beating the subsequent G1 Poule d=Essai des Poulains third Rivet (Ire) VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and the Dante runner-up Benbatl (GB) Twitter: @garykingTDN (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket on Apr. 20 only [email protected] + 1.732.320.0975 to finish sixth in that May 6 mile Classic. As his second dam International Editor Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler=s Wells) was runner-up in the 2002 Kelsey Riley Oaks, Sir Peter Vela=s bay is more likely to thrive in this test than Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] one which favoured the speed horses over a mile, and he impressed with his spin at the ABreakfast With the Stars@ European Editor Emma Berry morning. Twitter: @collingsberry AIt=s a big responsibility and a privilege having him, but that is [email protected] what it is all about, that is what you work towards--having a Associate International Editor horse that has got a chance in the Derby,@ Meade commented. Heather Anderson Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN AAt this stage, it is just another horse race and I have got to get Contributing Editor him there in good nick to do himself justice. After that, the Alan Carasso realisation of what it=s all about might just kick in.@ Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Meade=s sense of pressure is intensified by the weight of Sean Cronin expectation placed on Eminent by his famed sire. AThere is a Tom Frary [email protected] huge hype about the Frankel factor. While there are lots of them Irish Correspondent about and lots of good ones, it would be quite nice to have the Daithi Harvey first one to win a British Classic,@ he added. AI think his run in the Regular Columnists Guineas was down to a combination of factors. He had to have Bill Oppenheim pace, as he doesn=t quicken because he is not an out-and-out Andrew Caulfield John Berry miler. When Jim [Crowley] realised there was no pace on it was Kevin Blake a bit late to do anything and he was stuck behind other horses Tom Peacock and he had to pull out and make a sprint of it. Secondly, it Send Press Releases to: maybe came a bit quick and thirdly he would have liked a little [email protected] bit of cut in the ground to let himself down a bit in that final Send Advertisements to: @ A [email protected] furlong. Of his recent Epsom exercise, Meade continued, The idea of going there was to get him used to the track going round the bend and down the hill and then quicken away a little bit up the straight,@ he said. AIn the end he did some pretty good times. We had this satellite thing on him and he was clocking over 40 miles per hour for the last three furlongs. When you watched him, it didn=t look like he was moving much at all. The great thing about that was he was hard on the bit all the way through and Jim took time to pull him up. Jim was really pleased how he came into the top of hill, changed legs and was always on the right lead all the way down. He coped with the downhill bit and was perfectly balanced. He never had the slightest worry about him.@ Cont. p4 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 4 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 2 JUNE, 2017 Joseph O=Brien oversees Lloyd Williams=s Rekindling | Racing Post Diore Lia Back In The Mix... The sensational story of Derby entrant Diore Lia (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}) took another turn on Thursday morning when it was revealed that jockey Paddy Pilley will take over the reins on the 1000-1, 52-rated filly. Diore Lia was paid up for the Derby by owner-breeer Richard Aylward in order to draw attention to and aid in his fundraising efforts for the Great Ormond Street Nineteen Set For Investec Derby Cont. Hospital, but Aylward told Racing Post late on Wednesday that the filly would not run after the BHA announced one-time Only two recent winners have overcome a draw higher than winning apprentice rider Gina Mangan would not be permitted 10 and they were the Agood things@ Australia (GB) in 12 and to take the ride, citing safety reasons due to her inexperience.