The enormous 100-1 Epsom Derby outsider owned by football royalty fancied to spring a massive shock
KIA JOORABCHIAN worked his magic with some of the most well-known – and controversial – deals in football history.
But he could secure a record bit of business with his 100-1 outsider in the Epsom Derby.
King Of Steel is owned by Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation and is set to line up in Saturday’s blockbuster.
The three-year-old colt – who Adam Kirby called ‘the biggest two-year-old I have ever ridden’ – is yet to run this season and was seventh behind ante-post fav Auguste Rodin when last seen in the Vertem Futurity last October.
Prior to that he was a thumping winner in a Class 5 Nottingham debut.
Looking at it that way, victory in the Derby, regarded as the world’s most prestigious race, looks a longshot.
And his odds suggest bookies think he hasn’t got a chance – especially since the last horse to win at that price was Aboyeur in 1913.
But trainer Roger Varian sees it differently.
The softly-spoken handler believes the son of Wootton Bassett is no forlorn hope, even if he had to be scratched in the Dante after getting upset in the stalls.
And Varian fancies his chances of equalling the record for the biggest-priced winner ever of the famous Classic.
He told the Racing Post: “King Of Steel passed a stalls test at Leicester on Monday and the intention is to run him in the Derby.
“It was a shame he didn’t run in the Dante as I thought he would have finished in the mix on the Knavesmire, which would have set him up nicely for this.
“He’s taking a rather unconventional route to the Derby but he’s bred to get the trip and I believe he’s capable of outrunning his odds.”