‘Anything could happen’ as owner pays £75,000 for 100-1 outsider to run in Epsom Derby
A MILLIONAIRE owner will pay £75,000 for his 100-1 outsider to run in the Epsom Derby.
Three-year-old colt Tabletalk could produce a shock for the ages after owner Abdulla Al Mansoori decided to stump up the whopping supplementary fee.
Owners whose horses were not originally entered in the Derby at the cut-off stage – or were entered but later scratched – have to pay extra for them to line up.
And Al Mansoori, who was previously pictured celebrating a Royal Ascot winner alongside Line Of Duty star Martin Compston, reckons the fee is justified for his flashy colt.
Tabletalk won a Class 5 Chelmsford maiden under Rossa Ryan earlier this month.
Trained by Tom Clover, Tabletalk made his debut at Kempton last December where he was beaten a length into third by winner Arcturian.
Richard Hughes’ charge was a 50-1 shot that night but has franked the form by winning next time out and being given a rating of 94.
Tabletalk, a son of Camelot who was bought for around £20,000 in October 2022, was not for catching at Chelmsford over 1m2f.
His sire won the 2000 Guineas, Derby and Irish Derby in 2012 so stamina is assured.
The owner’s racing manager Philip Robinson told the Racing Post: “The plan is to supplement Tabletalk into the Derby on Monday.
“It looks a wide-open race and the owner would like him to run at Epsom.
“The horse has done nothing wrong and he’s come on since Chelmsford and Tom Clover thinks the world of him.
“At the moment it looks like a year where anything can happen.
“Tom has always thought that Tabletalk would be a better horse on grass and he only ran at Chelmsford as it was the right race at the right time.”
William Haggas could have done similar with runaway Dante winner and ex-Derby second-fav Economics.
But he does not believe Epsom will play to his colt’s strengths and so has decided not to supplement him for the world’s most famous Flat race.
Aidan O’Brien removed six horses at the latest scratching stage but his City Of Troy heads the market at around 2-1.
Ambiente Friendly, James Fanshawe’s 4-1 second-fav, has been at the centre of a jocking off storm.
Callum Shepherd rode the colt to success in a Listed Lingfield Derby trial but has lost the ride to recent Lockinge winner Rab Havlin.
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