The Betfred Derby lost yet another key contender when the £1.5m Classic was ruled out for Economics.
The William Haggas-trained colt had produced a jaw-dropping display when winning York’s prestigious Dante Stakes by six lengths. However he had been taken out of the Derby entries before that run and it would cost £75,000 to put him back in the June 1 race.
Despite the manner of the performance, Haggas remained reluctant to run him at Epsom. Nevertheless he was installed 7-4 joint favourite with City Of Troy with William Hill who added the ‘with a run’ proviso. The final decision was left to the colt’s Bahraiini owner Sheikh Isa Salman Al-Khalifa.
Haggas told the Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast: “We want to give him more time, he’s a big lovely, scopey horse. It’s a shame these races come up so quickly and he just needs some more time, that’s my view.
“He’s Sheikh Isa’s horse, but he’s very respectful of his trainers and he felt with Jake (Warren, racing manager) that we made a team decision. We discussed this at length before the Dante and my view never changed, but obviously it’s a huge race and with fancied horses falling by the wayside the temptation became greater.
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“The Derby is the Derby and while we might go over a mile and a half later in the year, at the moment we feel that a mile and a quarter is good for him. He’s got plenty of speed, he’s by Night Of Thunder. It’s my job to look after the horse to the best of my ability and if that’s not good enough so be it.”
City Of Troy will try to redeem his huge reputation in the Derby at EpsomWith next weekend’s Prix du Jockey Club also ruled out, future plans for Economics remain fluid. Haggas added: “We’ll know at the end of the season how well the Dante works out, but I don’t know where we will see him next. I just want to let him mature, he’s an enormous horse and can do so much more physically, that’s what is exciting me.
“It’s hard enough to get a nice horse, it’s another thing to ruin one. We think and hope the fact he bled at York was because he banged his head on the stall. We’ve scoped him since and it was fine.”
The ruling out of Economics is another blow to the Derby comeing in the wake of the loss of Godolphin pair Arabian Crown, who suffered a training setback, and impressive Chester Vase winner Hidden Law sustaining a fatal injury. Questions also remain over the strength of favourite City Of Troy’s credential after he lost his unbeaten record in the 2,000 Guineas.
Latest Derby odds from William Hill: 7-4 City Of Troy, 9-2 Ambiente Friendly, 13-2 Los Angeles, 12 Dancing Gemini, 14 Ancient Wisdom, 16 Macduff, Diego Velazquez, 25 bar.
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