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| Staff Writer |
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Arabian Crown, Ancient Wisdom, and City of Troy maintain their positions in next month's Betfred Derby, as nearly half of the initially entered horses were withdrawn on Tuesday.
Among the remaining 41 colts vying for the Epsom Classic, 13 are under the tutelage of Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore partners, while three are in the care of Charlie Appleby for Godolphin.
Arabian Crown leads the pack as the general 4-1 favourite for the Derby, following a dominant victory in the Classic Trial at Sandown last month. City of Troy, previously touted as the favorite, slipped in the rankings after a disappointing performance in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket last weekend.
Despite City of Troy's setback, Coral reinstated him alongside Arabian Crown at the top of the market, as O'Brien confirmed Epsom as the target for the son of American Triple Crown winner Justify.
Coral spokesman David Stevens remarked, "We only eased City of Troy out to 6-1 for the Derby despite his hugely disappointing 2,000 Guineas run, as we saw last year how his trainer can win at Epsom with a colt well beaten at Newmarket. It seems punters are willing to forgive him for that performance, as he's once again at the head of the classic betting, although he shares that position for now."
Following his less-than-stellar showing in the 2,000 Guineas, City Of Troy's odds have shortened from 8-1 to a best-priced 5-1.
Several notable owners have multiple entries, including Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, known for his yellow and black silks, which led High-Rise to victory in the 1998 Derby, boasting four entries. Kia Joorabchian, whose horses King Of Steel and Mojo Star clinched second place in the Classic, has three entries remaining. Ahmad Al Shaikh, potentially represented by Deira Mile and Sayedaty Sadaty, has had notable runners-up Khalifa Sat and Hoo Ya Mal in recent race editions.