Snow Ridge takes over Epsom Derby favouritism
By Bob Sawhny
June 02, 2004

(CONFIRMATION HAS JUST BEEN RECEIVED AT 2.30 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON ,THAT YEATS DOES NOT RUN THE EPSOM DERBY.)

The long-time Ante-post favourite Yeats (Saddlers Wells-Lyndonville) continued to slide in the Ante-post betting for The Vodafone Derby, amidst rumours of the horse's ill health on Tuesday.

The unbeaten Aidan O'Brien-trained colt has drifted alarmingly, with some leading English Bookmakers claiming that the son of Sadlers Wells, is not too certain to make it to the post for the premier Classic at Epsom on Saturday, the 5th of June.

Yeats has lost his place at the head of the market to bay colt Snow Ridge(Indian Ridge-Snow Princess), and is not even second favourite, with that honour going to bay colt North Light (Danehill-Sought Out). Most English Bookmakers have massive liabilities on Yeats and it will be a major blow to several Ante-post punters, if he fails make the starting line-up .

Yeats landed The Derrinstown Derby Trial on his last start, a race which has been a major pointer to Epsom success in recent seasons. But rumours that all is not well refuse to go away, with the colt reportedly receiving daily physiotherapy after "tweaking a muscle". 

Snow Ridge is now favourite with all the major English Bookmakers to give Frankie Dettori, a first success chance, in the race he yearns to win, above all others.

Peter Reynolds, manager of North Light's owner Ballymacoll Stud Farm Ltd, is hopeful that the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt, will improve further after landing the Totesport Dante Stakes at York. Kieren Fallon who will be astride, feels that his mount is a solid stayer on his sheer pedigree alone and that North Light should run a cracker of a race.

SNOW RIDGE

Salford City (Desert Sun - Summer Fashion) was another, who was fairly well-backed on Tuesday and his trainer David Elsworth is pretty confident, that his colt will get the mile-and-a-half-trip. 

Both, the Mick Channon-trained Gatwick(Ali-Royal-Airport) and the Neville Callaghan-trained Hazyview (Cape Cross-Euridice)were supplemented for the Blue Riband at a cost of 75,000 Pounds each on Monday.

Vodafone 2004 Epsom Derby Ante-Post Betting: 

Coral: Snow Ridge 5-2, North Light 3-1, Yeats 7-2, Salford City and American Post 8-1, Percussionist 10-1, Rule Of Law 12-1, Let The Lion Roar 14-1, Meath, Elshadi and Gatwick 33-1, Hazyview 40-1, Pukka 50-1, Moscow Ballet 66-1, Massive Centrale and Coming Again 100-1.