'Come on, give us a chance' - Roger Teal in plea to big-spending owners

Roger Teal, who has a special place in his heart for Epsom, did not enter any horses for the Cazoo Derby this week, but will put My Mate Ted in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas on Tuesday, even if he is not banking on a shock success in the Newmarket Classic bringing in big-spending owners.

Teal enjoyed by far his finest season since he started training last term, when he doubled his previous best tally of 19 winners to 38, while £577,078 was accrued in prize-money as stable star Oxted landed another Group 1 in the King's Stand.

However, the hands-on Teal, who was mucking out at his Lambourn yard before 7am on Friday, admitted new high-profile clients had not been beating a path to his door at Windsor House, from where it all began in 1978 for a certain Nicky Henderson.