The Cazoo Derby: breeding angles to an intriguing renewal of the Epsom showpiece

Bolshoi Ballet has been the talk of the town in the lead up to the Cazoo Derby and bids to become the first sole Ballydoyle runner to win since his own sire, Galileo, in 2001.

The Ballysax and Derrinstown Derby Trial winner holds a pedigree befitting a potential Classic hero, being out of a half-sister to the Group 3-winning Prix de Diane second Abbatiale and Prix de Pomone third Aubergade.

Bolshoi Ballet and Ryan Moore wins the Derrinstown Stud Derby TrialCredit: Patrick McCann

Bolshoi Ballet is a full-brother to the high-class St Leger third Southern France, a Group 3 winner and runner-up in the Queen's Vase for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners.

That he started over a mile at two, and was running over a mile and a quarter as a juvenile - the trip at which he has won both starts this season - strongly suggests the Derby distance will suit the hot favourite.

Sire sons battling for top spot

Galileo surpassed all other sires with his fifth Derby winner last year, when Serpentine crushed his rivals in a riveting front-running display, but the supreme stallion faces Epsom competition from his own sons, Frankel and New Approach.

Banstead Manor Stud resident Frankel bagged his first European Classic winner in the 2019 Oaks with Anapurna, while his world champion son Cracksman was third in the 2017 Derby and won the following year's Coronation Cup.

He has no fewer than four runners in the field, headed by the Normandie Stud-bred Hurricane Lane, unbeaten in three starts and winner of the Dante last time out.

Godolphin's colt, a 200,000gns purchase from Tattersalls Book 1, is the second foal out of the Listed-winning Shirocco mare Gale Force, a half-sister to British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes winner Seal Of Approval. Hurricane Lane is himself a full-brother to the stakes-placed Frankel's Storm.

A standout on pedigree is John Leeper, being by Frankel and out of the multiple top-level-winning Oaks heroine Snow Fairy.

A three-parts brother to the Group 3-placed Virgin Snow, the Listed-winning colt hails from a family that includes the smart Big Bad Bob and, further back, Derby winner Oath.

John Leeper with trainer Ed DunlopCredit: Edward Whitaker

Frankel's quartet of runners are completed by Mohaafeth, another homebred of Normandie Stud and among the leading fancies, and Godolphin's Adayar.

Mohaafeth, a 350,000gns purchase from Book 1, is the second foal out of the Listed-winning Sea The Stars mare French Dressing - a half-sister to the smart Dalvina and Soft Centre, the dam of Sultanina.

Adayar, runner-up in Sandown and Lingfield's Classic Trials, is out of Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Anna Salai, a daughter of Dubawi and Prix d'Aumale winner Anna Palariva.

New Approach's representative comes in the form of Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and last year's Vertem Futurity scorer Mac Swiney. Owned, bred and trained by Jim Bolger, the colt is heavily inbred to Galileo, being by a son of his and out of a Teofilo mare in Halla Na Saoire, an unraced full-sister to Irish Derby third Light Heavy.

Teofilo is also responsible for a runner in the 12-strong field in the form of Gear Up.

Last year's Criterium International winner is another bred by the County Kilkenny maestro - Bolger bred his sire and dam for good measure too - and is a full-brother to the Group-placed Guaranteed.

Classic sires to the fore

Sea The Stars entered the rarefied realm of having won the Derby himself and then siring a winner when Harzand struck for the Aga Khan and Dermot Weld in 2016.

His three runners are headed by Lingfield Trial winner Third Realm, the eighth foal out of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's star producer Reem Three.

The stakes-placed daughter of Mark Of Esteem has produced Prix Jean Romanet scorer Ajman Princess (Teofilo), plus the high-class Ostilio (New Approach) and Cape Byron (Shamardal).

Third Realm (yellow) is in control at Lingfield in the Derby trialCredit: John Walton (Getty Images/Pool)

Southern Lights, bred by Ownwan Partnership and a €550,000 purchase from Goffs Orby, is out of Ownwan, a daughter of a Listed-placed winning sister to the Derby winner High Chaparral.

Mojo Star - a 130,000gns foal purchase and then a 220,000gns sale to the Doyles at Tattersalls Book 1 - is a half-brother to the Group-placed Royal Hunt Cup scorer Portage and Italian stakes winner Cape Magic.

Another previous Derby winner in Camelot has strong representation through Chester Vase scorer Youth Spirit.

Owned by Ahmad Al Shaikh, the colt was bred by Ringfort Stud and Paul Hancock, selling to Global Thoroughbred Services for €60,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale.

Later picked up for €48,000 by Federico Barberini at Arqana, he is the first foal out of Rocana, an unraced Fastnet Rock half-sister to Gimcrack winner Blaine and Two-Year-Old Trophy scorer Bogart.

The field is completed by the Godolphin-bred One Ruler, a son of Dubawi who was second to Mac Swiney in the Vertem Futurity last term.

He is the second foal out of Prix de Sandringham winner Fintry, a Group 1-placed daughter of Shamardal, and from the family of Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Give Thanks.

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