While this is an established prep for Epsom's colts' Classic, it was the John Gosden-trained filly So Mi Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was left sitting pretty after Humphrey Bogart became the second colt that she had mastered to win a Derby trial in two days. Beaten a neck by that Lloyd-Webber homebred when second in Epsom's Investec Derby Trial last time Apr. 20, he had Viren's Army (Twirling Candy) 3 1/2 lengths away in third in that 10-furlong contest and that fellow Richard Hannon-based colt had won the Listed Dee S. at Chester on Friday. Prior to his defeat at Epsom, Humphrey Bogart had proven to be a solid performer when fourth in both the G3 Acomb S. at York in August and in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket in September either side of a second in Doncaster's 6 1/2-furlong Weatherbys Hamilton £300,000 2-y-o S. Last of the quintet in the early stages but never far away, the bay was delivered widest of all as Carntop was committed with a quarter mile remaining looking the likely winner. Steadily reeling in that green rival and cutting up the arguably unlucky Across the Stars in the process, he hit the front in the last strides and the line came in time before the eventual third could regain his lost momentum. “I didn't think he would get a mile and a quarter, but he did that last time and I certainly didn't think he would get a mile and a half and he did today–he settled well today and Sean [Levey] gave him a lovely ride,” Hannon said of the winner, who would need supplementing for the Derby. “Whether he's good enough to go for the Derby or not, I don't know but I don't normally get these problems at this time of year. Every year you get drawn into saying the Derby is not a strong race, but it always is. I think he won a shade cosily and this is the most similar track to Epsom with the ups and downs, plus he's been round Epsom before so he definitely handles that track.” Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
BETFRED DERBY TRIAL S.-Listed, £100,000, LIN, 5-7, 3yo, c/g, 11f 106yT, 2:28.29, gd.
1–#HUMPHREY BOGART (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Tagula (Ire)
1st Dam: Hazarama (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hazaradjat (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Hazy Idea, by Hethersett (GB)
(€29,000 Wlg '13 GOFNOV; £33,000 Ylg '14 DNPRM). O-Chelsea Thoroughbreds – Saint Tropez; B-Ringfort Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 8-2-2-1, $253,680.
2–Carntop (GB), 126, c, 3, Dansili (GB)–Milford Sound (GB), by Barathea (Ire). O-Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. £21,500.
3–Across the Stars (Ire), 126, c, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Victoria Cross (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). (600,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Mr Saeed Suhail. £10,760.
Margins: HF, 1, 1. Odds: 4.50, 1.75, 6.00.
Also Ran: Landofhopeandglory (Ire), Winning Story (GB).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
