Son of Nijinsky strong Derby fancy

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33857, 31 May 1975, Page 8

Son of Nijinsky strong Derby fancy

Nijinsky, the Canadian-bred winner of the English Triple Crown in 1970. has, from his first crop, sired a colt expected to win the English Derby next Wednesday.

His representative will be Green Dancer, which was installed a hot favourite for the premier English classic after his defeat of the hitherto unbeaten Mariacci in the Prix Lupin at Longchamp earlier this month. Green Dancer is trained in France by Alec Head, and gave a taste of his class in his first season by winning the Observer Gold Cup at Doncaster last October.

His position as favourite for the Derby has been in no way weakened bv the fact that no winner of the Observer Gold Cup, a race founded 14 years ago, has gone on to win the Derby. Pretendre. Riboeco, and Linden Tree ran • second in the Derby after Observer Gold Cup victories.

Green Dancer was bred in 'France by Mr P. A. B. Wideiner from the unraced Green ! Valley, which is by the • French Derby winner Vai de ! Loir from Sly Pola. by Spy .Song from Ampola, by Pavot • from Blue Denim. ; The day Green Dancer won 'the Prix Lupin, which was 'worth £48,000 to the winner, | his stablemate. Beau Geste, I won another race on. the programme with great ease. Head said that when Beau Geste had been galloped with Green Dancer in the previous week he had been made to look “like an old donkey” by the Derby favlourite. • The Head stable also has 'another bright classic prostpect in Vai de I’Orne, which |is being pointed for the j French Derby on June 8. ■ Vai de I’Orne was the most i expensive yearling sold at •public auction in France in 11973, costing around $33,000. He is by Vai de Loir out of ■ Aglae, which was a close 'fourth in the French Oaks and was out of a winner of that race. Algae Grace!