The Flat turf season enters full flight this weekend with Newmarket's QIPCO Guineas Festival, featuring the first two British Classics, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1.
Saturday, April 30 sees the first Classic, the QIPCO 2000 Guineas over a mile. Of the 13 declared runners for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, four also hold entries in the Investec Derby, including Massaat, trained by first-season handler Owen Burrows, who found only Air Force Blue too good in the 2015 Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. The other Guineas contenders also entered in the premier Classic at Epsom Downs are Air Vice Marshal (Aidan O'Brien), Galileo Gold (Hugo Palmer) and Zhui Feng (Amanda Perrett).
A total of 37 horses have completed the QIPCO 2000 Guineas/Investec Derby double, most recently Camelot in 2012.
Also taking place at Newmarket on Saturday is the Listed Havana Gold Newmarket Stakes over 10 furlongs, a race which has fallen to subsequent Investec Derby winners Shirley Heights (1978) and Slip Anchor (1985). Three of the eight runners in the Havana Gold Newmarket Stakes also hold entries in the Investec Derby - Abdon (Sir Michael Stoute) and Sky Kingdom (William Haggas), who both won on their only start to date, plus Tathqeef (John Gosden), who was third in the Listed Feilden Stakes at the Craven Meeting.
One Investec Derby entry already on the scoresheet this week is Amazing Red (Ed Dunlop), who recorded an impressive victory in a 10-furlong maiden at Pontefract yesterday, Wednesday, April 27.
The son of Teofilo is a half-brother to Red Cadeaux, who finished second in the Melbourne Cup three times and accrued close to £5 million in prize money worldwide in a tremendous globetrotting career. On his only visit to Epsom Downs, Red Cadeaux was runner-up to St Nicholas Abbey in the 2012 Investec Coronation Cup.
Like the late Red Cadeaux, Amazing Red is owned by Ronald Arculli.
Newmarket-based Dunlop said today: "We were very pleased with the way Amazing Red won at Pontefract yesterday and it was obviously a poignant victory in relation to being Red Cadeaux's half-brother.
"He is home now and we are happy with what went on yesterday. We will now see about the future with him.
"We will see what the handicapper does, have a discussion and see how he takes yesterday's race.
"A Derby trial could now be under consideration for him. He is not entered in the Dante Stakes and won't be going there."
Investec Oaks clues could come to the fore on Sunday, May 1 in both the mile Classic, the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, and the Listed Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes over 10 furlongs.
Five of the 17 entries for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas also hold entries in the Investec Oaks, with dual Group One heroine Minding (Aidan O'Brien) currently clear favourite for both Classics with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec derby Festival.
Minding's stable companions Ballydoyle and Alice Springs are also in both contests, along with Fireglow (Mark Johnston) and Turret Rocks (Jim Bolger). A total of 47 fillies have won both the QIPCO 1000 and Investec Oaks, although none since Kazzia in 2002.
The Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes has proved a good guide to the Investec Oaks in recent years with Ouija Board (2004), Talent (2013) and Taghrooda (2014) having completed the double since the turn of the century. Twelve of the 16 entries for this year's race are also engaged in the Investec Oaks, headed by the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of Even Song and Somehow, both impressive maiden winners, plus Tiptree (Luca Cumani), an eye-catching maiden winner at Newmarket in the autumn.
The trials for the Investec Derby and Investec Oaks continue at Chester next week with the Boodles May Festival running from Wednesday, May 4 to Friday, May 6.
The Investec Derby, Britain's richest race and premier Classic, takes place at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 4, while the Investec Oaks happens on Friday, June 3.
