17 May 2024 , 10:37
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The line-up for the Betfred Derby has suffered another blow after the big race second favourite was ruled out on Friday.
Godolphin-owned Arabian Crown, trained by Charlie Appleby, was a 7-2 chance for the Epsom Classic behind favourite City Of Troy.
He is unbeaten in his last four starts and moved to the forefront of contenders for the race with an impressive victory in the Classic Trial at Sandown.
However on Friday morning, Godolphin posted an update on the colt on its X account. It said: “Unfortunately Arabian Crown will miss the Derby due to a set back. He will now be aimed at a late summer campaign.”
The withdrawal of Arabian Crown is another blow to Appleby’s Derby preparations following the fatal injury suffered by Hidden Law who broke a hind leg just after winning the Chester Vase.
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Appleby’s other possible candidate is last year’s Futurity Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom. Yet he was well beaten when second in the Dante Stakes at York on Thursday behind Economics.
Appleby said afterwards: “Derby-wise I think we’ll just let it all settle down. I know it’s only two and a bit weeks to Epsom and people want us to make a call sooner, but I think it depends how much he progresses from it really.
“A mile and a half is definitely going to be his trip. Will said he wouldn’t be worried about Epsom or the ground, it’s just whether he wants a sterner test because as we all know you can be a mile-and-a-quarter horse round there and get the mile and a half because you’ve got to be able to travel."
Economics: won the Dante Stakes by six lengths (PA)The William Haggas-trained Economics announced himself as a top talent by scoring by six lengths and has been installed 7-4 'with a run' joint favourite with City Of Troy by William Hill.
But he had already been taken out of the Derby entries by his trainer who is unlikely to have a change of heart about the Classic unless the colt’s owner Isa Salman al Khalifa insists on putting him back in the race, which will cost £75,000..
There are doubts too about the credentials of favourite City Of Troy, who flopped when hot favourite for the 2,000 Guineas.