Shergar hot favourite

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 27

Shergar hot favourite

NZPA London Racing “certainties” are! notorious for paying the way to bankruptcy, but it is hard to envisage the Aga Khan’s colt, Shergar, being beaten in the Epsom Derby to tomorrow (2.35 a.m. Thursday NZ time). Following spectacular victories in his two earlier races this year, the Great Nephew' —Sharmeen colt has been made an overwhelming favourite for the premier British classic, first run in 1780. He looks likely to start the hottest favourite since Sir Ivor won at 4-to-5 in 1968.

Shergar ran twice last year, winning • his first race and then finishing second to Beldale Flutter, which has been ruled out of the Derby by injury. He reappeared this year in a classic trial at

Sandown Park in April and won bv 10 lengths. It did not seem possible to top this performance, but Shergar looked even more the super-horse next time out, in the Chester Vase last month. Running over a few yards more than the Derby trip of a mile and a half, he took the lead three and a half furlongs from home and ran on with a ranking stride which left his nearest rival 12 lengths away at the line. Walter Swinburn, who is only 19, rode Shergar in both of those races and will again be on board when the colt goes to the post tomorrow against the incredible back; drop of Derby Day, with anything up to half a million people thronging the downs and the air heavy with the noise of a giant fairground in full swing. Neither this, cacophony nor

the jockeyship demands of} the horseshoe-shaped, turning and undulating course are. likely to faze Swinburn. He; is a very self-possessed, young rider, with burgeoning talent w'hich foreshadows a great career, and he is sure, to carry out his responsible task with ability and elan. And responsible the job is! in very serious terms. At stake.for the winner is prizei money of £149,900 ($353,765) I out of a total of £251,500: ($593,540), and an elevated! value of up to about five mil-} lion sterling ($11.8m) for; stud purposes. If there is one question! mark against Shergar, it is} how he will cope with soft! going, if, as expected, there' should be considerable give} in the ground at Epsom. The! going was on the soft side; when he bowed to Beldale; Flutter last season. i