Horse Racing: Papal Bull to Run in the Derby

Papal Bull, the winner of the Chester Vase earlier this month, will run in the Derby at Epsom on Saturday after being added to the race yesterday at a cost of £75,000. Sir Michael Stoute's colt, who runs in the colours of John Magnier, has been backed at 299-1 for the Classic on Betfair's betting exchange, but was a 14-1 chance with most bookmakers yesterday evening.

That price would shrink considerably, though, were Kieren Fallon, who steered Papal Bull to victory at the Roodee, to decide to maintain the association at Epsom instead of riding one of Aidan O'Brien's five contenders for the race. Fallon will ride all of Ballydoyle's potential Derby runners at Ballydoyle this morning, but may also partner Papal Bull on the gallops in Newmarket tomorrow before coming to a final decision.

Septimus, who won the Dante Stakes by eight lengths earlier this month, is still Fallon's most likely Derby ride, but he was clearly impressed by Papal Bull's attitude and acceleration at Chester, and may yet find the choice a difficult one.

Chester's Dee Stakes has produced two Derby winners in the last seven years, but the Vase has not highlighted an Epsom victor since 1990, when Quest For Fame finished second to Belmez at Chester before going on to take the Derby. The last horse to win both the Vase and the Classic was Shergar in 1981.

Fallon was at Sandown yesterday to ride Cover Up, the favourite, in the Henry II Stakes, but his mount did not appear to enjoy the soft conditions and was in trouble a long way from home. The going was no hindrance, though, for Tungsten Strike, who had finished behind Cover Up on his last two starts, but forged clear from a furlong out to win the Group Two contest under Ryan Moore.

"He's a long-striding horse and he would like better ground," Amanda Perrett, Tungsten Strike's trainer, said. "We will go to Ascot now and give the Gold Cup a go. It was decent ground right next to the hedge, and Ryan made sure that he had the best of it all the way."

Tungsten Strike is 14-1 (from 20-1) for the Gold Cup with Paddy Power, who make Distinction their favourite at 3-1.

Spectait, who started at odds-on for the one-mile handicap, was another costly failure for the bank holiday punters, as he failed to follow up a recent win at Kempton under a 5lb penalty and could finish only second to Tanzanite and Kerrin McEvoy.

The punters were at least ahead early, though, as Frankie Dettori completed a double in the first two races, both four-runner juvenile events, on Christmas Tart and Excellent Art.

Excellent Art, who took the Listed National Stakes, was particularly impressive, and may now run in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Saturday, as Neville Callaghan, his trainer, is doubtful that Royal Ascot will offer the soft ground his colt requires.

Tonight's Sandown card features the racecourse debut of a horse who was at one stage second-favourite for Saturday's Derby. Greek Well, a full-brother to Breeders' Cup winner Islington, was backed down to 7-1 from 33-1 with William Hill at the end of January, but was withdrawn from the Derby two months later and now runs instead in the Betfair Backs Brooke Maiden Stakes, worth £4,534 to the winner.

Ron Cox's tip of the day

Sunderland Echo 4.50 Leicester A much-improved filly since dropping back to sprints, Sunderland Echo can make the most of a lenient handicap mark. Her rating is set for a substantial rise following her highly creditable fourth in a Listed race at Haydock last Saturday. Brian Ellison's filly had won two of her previous three starts and was unlucky in defeat from what turned out to be a poor draw at Newcastle.