The Epsom Derby picture has been dominated by Aidan O’Brien all season. Item ensured on Thursday that a new name has muscled in on the market.
Andrew Balding’s charge won both of his two juvenile starts. However, with the form of those completely unknown (he had only beaten three rivals in the second of those), his Dante claims, let alone his Epsom Derby ones, were well up for debate.
However, well before the finish line, the result of the Dante was in little doubt. Perhaps he received an inadvertent helping hand from Ryan Moore in the process. Moore brought O’Brien-trained favourite Christmas Day towards the near side of the track, despite most winners enjoying the far side of the straight throughout the week. It proved an erroneous move, as the pair remaining central pulled away.
One of those was Item, who tracked another Ballydoyle inmate in Action into the straight. Colin Keane’s mount was travelling smoothest though and pulled nearly three lengths clear by the line.
Item is now a best-priced 6/1 for Epsom glory. With three wins in three starts, he could have done little more to press his claims.
“This horse keeps answering the questions” – Barry Mahon
Owners Juddmonte now have live chances for both the Derby and the Oaks. The ownership could enjoy a very profitable weekend at the beginning of June.
Barry Mahon, European Racing manager for Juddmonte, evidently liked what he saw at York on Thursday.
“He’s not very flash at home,” Mahon said to the Racing Post. “We certainly came in here not really knowing where we’re going, but that was a very good performance on his first start this year,” said the operation’s European racing manager Barry Mahon.
“He travelled and picked up well and galloped out okay. It was a good performance and it feels like a horse that would get a little bit further, which is positive.
“We’ll talk to the owners to see what they want to do, but hopefully they’ll want to roll the dice at Epsom.”
Mahon is wary of the opposition facing the Juddmonte pair at Epsom. However, with both Legacy Link and Item now general second favourites, dreams of a famous double now reign.
“There’s some very good horses who won the trials at Chester and Lingfield,” he said. “They look very strong candidates, but this horse has done nothing wrong and he is three wins from three starts now and keeps answering the questions.
“It’s huge and that’s what Juddmonte are here for. We want to be represented at the top table. To have the filly win and then this colt follow up is satisfaction. Hopefully they can climb a little higher.”