Unflappable Frankie far from fazed by English King's low Derby draw
Whatever way you slice it, English King's draw of stall one is a headache rather than a hindrance for Frankie Dettori.
Oath in 1999 was the last to win from there. Since no horse has come from stall one to finish better than fourth and that horse was 4-5 favourite Saxon Warrior.
In the last ten years Main Sequence (stall three in 2012) and Kingston Hill (stall two in 2014) are the only horses to finish in the first three from lower than berth five.
Dettori is phlegmatic about the draw English King has been given as he seeks a third Derby win.
"We can’t change it now, it is what it is," said Dettori, who won the Derby on Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn five years ago. "If you look at past Derbys, it hasn’t mattered where the winner was drawn.
"If the horse is good enough and we have a bit of luck then we’ll see where he finishes. We’ll find out on Saturday. We’ve got what we’ve got and we’ve got to go and do our best."
That is all Dettori can do, make the best of it. "I’m not bothered at all," said the colt's trainer Ed Walker. "Stall one has produced winners and we’ve got a fairly experienced jockey on board to navigate his way round, so I’m not worried."
The advantage is they get to go the shortest route, and if a gap appears at the right time it could be a dream run. But the further back you are at Epsom the less likely you are to find a gap on the inside.
More on the Derby day action:
Walker 'massively excited' about Derby chance with favourite English King
Unflappable Frankie far from fazed by English King's low Derby draw
Guineas heroine Love and Royal Ascot star Frankly Darling lock horns in Oaks
'As the build-up intensifies, you realise what an incredible story it is'
Performance metrics: Lingfield comparison reveals how good English King could be
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Published on 3 July 2020inDerby festival
Last updated 19:39, 3 July 2020
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