Lingfield Option For Derby Hope Domination

Henry Cecil’s exciting Epsom Derby prospect World Domination could have his next racecourse outing in the Lingfield Derby Trial next month as his trainer seeks to give the much hyped son of Oaks winner Reams of Verse more valuable experience before a decision is made as to whether or not he will be allowed to take his chance at Epsom on June 4, writes Elliot Slater.

Like Cecil’s 1993 Derby winner Commander In Chief, World Domination was unraced as a juvenile before belatedly making his racecourse bow at Newbury in mid-April where, despite rumours of him having been burning up the Newmarket gallops, he was sent off a 3/1 shot for the one-mile-three-furlong maiden contest. Ridden by stable jockey Tom Queally, the Empire Maker colt settled well to track the leaders until being asked to improve approaching the three furlong from home marker. He moved easily upsides the pace setters before quickening in impressive fashion two furlongs out then was pushed out hands and heels to easily pull clear of Solar Sky to score by just under four lengths.

The Prince Khaled Abdullah-owned colt was soon slashed in the ante-post market for Epsom and, despite only ever having raced once in his life, is now a best priced 13/2 second favourite in the Epsom Derby odds, his illustrious stable companion Frankel (who is by no means a certain runner), being the clear 4/1 market leader.

Cecil understandably is keen to give his charge more experience before deciding on a crack at The Derby and seems to be leaning towards the Lingfield race as the ideal opportunity to assess whether or not World Domination can handle an undulating track with a sharp left-hand bend. A win at Lingfield would surely see him vying for favouritism, whilst the possibility of Frankel not going for the mile-and-a-half contest could also see a further reduction in the ante-post odds of World Domination.