'If he wins he can go to the Derby' - Bur Dubai has shot at keeping Epsom dream alive for owner in Blue Riband Trial

What is the purpose of racehorse ownership if it does not provide the chance to dream? Six sets of connections will get the chance to do just that at Epsom when their horses line up in the Listed Betfred Blue Riband Trial Stakes (2.45) on Tuesday.

Four of the six runners hold entries in the Betfred Derby, with the other two – Chief Little Rock and Bur Dubai – in with a shout of gaining entry into the Classic if successful in this race. It is not a free entry – it will cost connections a further £11,000 to remain in the race – or a guaranteed slot, but would save them £15,000 on initial entry fees and allow the dream to stay alive a little longer.

Few owners dream of success in the Derby more than Ahmad Al Shaikh. In recent years, he has had horses significantly outrun their market expectations in the race, with Khalifa Sat second at 50-1 in 2020 and Hoo Ya Mal also runner-up at odds of 150-1 two years later.

Dubai Mile, who has since been retired to stud, represented Al Shaikh’s Green Team Racing when ninth last year, and Deira Mile could make his way to Epsom this season. Should Bur Dubai break his maiden in this race, or perform with credit, he could also line up for the owner in the Derby.

“When I started in racing I wanted to win the Derby and I will keep trying to do that all my life,” said Al Shaikh. “I told my son he must keep trying to do this as well – it is a family tradition.

“I breed horses to try to win the Derby and any horse I buy it is the same. Bur Dubai is out of a mare by Teofilo and his sire Night Of Thunder is a very good stallion. When I put them together I wanted to breed a staying horse.

“Last year, we could not run him on the grass. I said to Kevin [Philippart de Foy, trainer] that on pedigree he can run well in this race so can we go to find out, which is what we are doing. If he was in the top three that would be good, and if he wins he can go to the Derby and we can keep dreaming.”

Aidan O'Brien has claimed this race once, with Cape Of Good Hope in 2019, and is responsible for likely favourite Chief Little Rock, second on three of his four starts last season but often in good company.

Arabic Legend displayed promise at this level when second in the Stonehenge Stakes and makes his first start for Karl Burke, having been trained by Andrew Balding as a juvenile. Balding is represented by Bellum Justum, while the Ralph Beckett-trained Feigning Madness carries the only perfect record of the six runners following wins at Newbury and Newmarket.

What they say

Karl Burke, trainer of Arabic Legend
He’s an exciting horse and definitely one of his owner’s favourites. He wasn’t an impressive-looking horse when he arrived but I think he’s grown an inch or so over the winter and he’s started to work very well and get us excited. It is a trial so he’ll definitely come on for it fitness-wise. He hasn’t had any gallops away from home. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was very keen to try him at the track to see if he handles it. If he comes through Tuesday well, he could well go to Lingfield for the Derby Trial to see what he’s like at the trip, because his pedigree shouts a mile and a quarter, but not much further. If he ticks those two boxes then he could well turn up at Epsom on Derby day. If he doesn’t, he could be rerouted to Chantilly for the French Derby.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power, owner of Bellum Justum
He’s a lovely, big horse and he should progress this year over longer trips. His form from last year has worked out well and this race will tell us which direction he goes in.

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Chief Little Rock
He's in good form and we always thought he would stay this far. We're happy with his work and he's just ready to start off now. We're hoping he'll run a good race. He's not in the Derby at the moment, but that could change. We're just trying to split all the horses up and get runs into them at the minute and then we'll see where we stand.

Roger Varian, trainer of Defiance
He ran only twice last year, but we think he’s nice. He’s a balanced horse, so he should handle Epsom, and we think he'll stay well. It’s his first run of the year and we’re going to learn a lot. He holds some big entries and we think a lot of him, but he's going to improve and this will help us decide where to go next.

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