Richard Morecambe saying "it appears to be a weaker year" and they were "very very temped" to enter. Trainer Richard Hannon, Jr. said "We’ll sleep on it, that’s what we should say".[30][31]
The day after the Lingfield trial Leopardstown staged the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial over 1 mile 2 furlongs. The victory went to Moonlight Magic, trained by Jim Bolger and ridden by Kevin Manning, Moolight Magic beat Shogun by a length and a quarter and was cut to odds of 16 to 1 for the Derby. Bolger favoured a run at Epsom in his post-race comments, saying "I have to discuss it with the mentors, and arrive at a decision, but I would love to go...he’s a very versatile horse, he could operate from a mile to a mile and a half, and is a very classic horse – the dam is a half-sister to Galileo and Sea The Stars. I’ll respect the opposition, but I won’t fear them … as usual."[32][33]
Sunday 8 May also saw a major trial race in France, the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud. Godolphin Racing's Cloth Of Stars, trained by André Fabre won by two and a half lengths from Robin Of Navan. Cloth Of Stars is not entered for the Derby but Godolphin's chief executive John Ferguson stated that they would be willing to enter the colt at the supplementary stage, saying "We now know that the Prix du Jockey Club is a serious possibility, but there is also Epsom so we’ll see how he trains between now and then”.[34][35]
York's Dante Stakes took place on 12 May with Midterm sent off as favourite. The race resulted in a win for Wings Of Desire, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, with Midterm unplaced. The winner was quoted at odds of around 4 to 1 for the Derby, alongside US Army Ranger, after the win and Gosden indicated that Wings Of Desire would be entered for the Derby at the supplementary stage, saying that "he showed me things early on, I thought 'goodness'. he's so laid back". Deauville finished as runner-up and is an intended runner in the Prix du Jockey-Club.[36][37] Midterm was subsequently found to be suffering a hamstring injury after the race, and a further scan showed a stress fracture of the pelvis. This injury led to him being ruled out of the Derby on 20 May.[38]
Two French races with a possible bearing on the Epsom Derby were run on Sunday 15 May. The Poule d'Essai des Poulains is France's equivalent of the 2000 Guineas and was run at Deauville as the regular venue at Longchamp is closed for redevelopment during 2016. The race was won by Aidan O'Brien's runner, The Gurkha, ridden by Ryan Moore. The Ghurka won by five and a half lengths and his Derby odds were reduced from 20 to 1 to 6 to 1 after his victory. O'Brien did not immediately confirm that the colt would run at Epsom, saying after the race "“He has three options now: the St James’s Palace, the French Derby and the Epsom Derby”.[39][40] The Prix Hocquart at the same Deauville meeting was went to Mekhtaal, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and ridden by Gregory Benoist. Harry Herbert, racing advisor to Mekhtaal's owner Al-Shaqab Racing, said afterwards “I think we will probably go for the Prix du Jockey Club with him and keep him in France."[41][42]
On 20 May Goodwood staged the Cocked Hat Stakes over 1 mile and 3 furlongs. The race was won by Algometer, who had finished second to Midterm in the Bet365 Classic Trial in April. Algometer, ridden by Jim Crowley won by half a length from the favourite, Prize Money, and was available at odds of between 25 to 1 and 33 to 1 for the Derby. The colt looked an unlikely runner at Epsom as trainer David Simcock believed he would need soft going to be able to run. Simcock identified the Irish Derby and St Leger in September as Algometer's targets, stating "If it rained at Epsom we might think about it, but, realistically, the Leger is the right race for him later in the year. If it doesn't rain at Epsom we'll leave it and go to [the Irish Derby]."[43][44]
The day after the Lingfield trial Leopardstown staged the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial over 1 mile 2 furlongs. The victory went to Moonlight Magic, trained by Jim Bolger and ridden by Kevin Manning, Moolight Magic beat Shogun by a length and a quarter and was cut to odds of 16 to 1 for the Derby. Bolger favoured a run at Epsom in his post-race comments, saying "I have to discuss it with the mentors, and arrive at a decision, but I would love to go...he’s a very versatile horse, he could operate from a mile to a mile and a half, and is a very classic horse – the dam is a half-sister to Galileo and Sea The Stars. I’ll respect the opposition, but I won’t fear them … as usual."[32][33]
Sunday 8 May also saw a major trial race in France, the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud. Godolphin Racing's Cloth Of Stars, trained by André Fabre won by two and a half lengths from Robin Of Navan. Cloth Of Stars is not entered for the Derby but Godolphin's chief executive John Ferguson stated that they would be willing to enter the colt at the supplementary stage, saying "We now know that the Prix du Jockey Club is a serious possibility, but there is also Epsom so we’ll see how he trains between now and then”.[34][35]
York's Dante Stakes took place on 12 May with Midterm sent off as favourite. The race resulted in a win for Wings Of Desire, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, with Midterm unplaced. The winner was quoted at odds of around 4 to 1 for the Derby, alongside US Army Ranger, after the win and Gosden indicated that Wings Of Desire would be entered for the Derby at the supplementary stage, saying that "he showed me things early on, I thought 'goodness'. he's so laid back". Deauville finished as runner-up and is an intended runner in the Prix du Jockey-Club.[36][37] Midterm was subsequently found to be suffering a hamstring injury after the race, and a further scan showed a stress fracture of the pelvis. This injury led to him being ruled out of the Derby on 20 May.[38]
Two French races with a possible bearing on the Epsom Derby were run on Sunday 15 May. The Poule d'Essai des Poulains is France's equivalent of the 2000 Guineas and was run at Deauville as the regular venue at Longchamp is closed for redevelopment during 2016. The race was won by Aidan O'Brien's runner, The Gurkha, ridden by Ryan Moore. The Ghurka won by five and a half lengths and his Derby odds were reduced from 20 to 1 to 6 to 1 after his victory. O'Brien did not immediately confirm that the colt would run at Epsom, saying after the race "“He has three options now: the St James’s Palace, the French Derby and the Epsom Derby”.[39][40] The Prix Hocquart at the same Deauville meeting was went to Mekhtaal, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and ridden by Gregory Benoist. Harry Herbert, racing advisor to Mekhtaal's owner Al-Shaqab Racing, said afterwards “I think we will probably go for the Prix du Jockey Club with him and keep him in France."[41][42]
On 20 May Goodwood staged the Cocked Hat Stakes over 1 mile and 3 furlongs. The race was won by Algometer, who had finished second to Midterm in the Bet365 Classic Trial in April. Algometer, ridden by Jim Crowley won by half a length from the favourite, Prize Money, and was available at odds of between 25 to 1 and 33 to 1 for the Derby. The colt looked an unlikely runner at Epsom as trainer David Simcock believed he would need soft going to be able to run. Simcock identified the Irish Derby and St Leger in September as Algometer's targets, stating "If it rained at Epsom we might think about it, but, realistically, the Leger is the right race for him later in the year. If it doesn't rain at Epsom we'll leave it and go to [the Irish Derby]."[43][44]
Final entries
The final supplementary entry stage on 30 May saw four owners paying £75,000 each to enter their horses in the race. The supplementary entries were Wings of Desire, Cloth of Stars, Humphrey Bogart and Red Verdon.[45] Two days before the race the Ballydoyle stable withdrew Beacon Rock and Bravery to leave a final field of sixteen.Race
US Army Ranger started the 7/2 favourite ahead of Wings of Desire on 6/1 and Harzand at 13/2 whilst Cloth of Stars and Ulysses shared fourth place in the betting on 8/1. Port Douglas went to the front from the start and set the pace in the early stages. Moonlight Magic, Cloth of Stars and Massaat were close behind with Harzand. Ulysses and Idaho in mid-division and US Army Ranger and Wings of Desire. Port Douglas led the field into the straight ahead of Cloth of Stars, Massaat, Moonlight Magic and Idaho. The leaders began to struggle approaching the final quarter mile and Idaho went to the front with Harzand emerging as his main challenger as US Army Ranger began to make rapid progress on the wide outside.[46] Harzand gained the advantage approaching the final furlong and repelled a sustained challenge from US Army Ranger to in by one and a half lengths. Idaho took third place, five lengths ahead of Wings of Desire in fourth.[47][48]Race card
| No | Draw | Horse | Weight (st–lb) | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Across The Stars (IRE) | 9–0 | Kieren Fallon | Sir Michael Stoute | Saeed Suhail |
| 2 | 4 | Algometer | 9–0 | Jim Crowley | David Simcock | Kirsten Rausing |
| 3 | 7 | Biodynamic | 9–0 | Dougie Costello | Karl Burke | Hubert John Strecker |
| 4 | 14 | Cloth of Stars (IRE) | 9–0 | Mickael Barzalona | André Fabre (FR) | Godolphin |
| 5 | 12 | Deauville (IRE) | 9–0 | Jamie Spencer | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) | Tabor / Smith / Magnier / Hay |
| 6 | 9 | Harzand (IRE) | 9–0 | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld (IRE) | HH Aga Khan |
| 7 | 2 | Humphrey Bogart (IRE) | 9–0 | Sean Levey | Richard Hannon, Jr. | Chelsea Thoroughbreds – Saint Tropez |
| 8 | 8 | Idaho (IRE) | 9–0 | Seamie Heffernan | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) | Tabor / Smith / Magnier |
| 9 | 11 | Massaat (IRE) | 9–0 | Paul Hanagan | Owen Burrows | Hamdan Al Maktoum |
| 10 | 1 | Moonlight Magic | 9–0 | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger (IRE) | Godolphin |
| 11 | 10 | Port Douglas (IRE) | 9–0 | Colm O'Donoghue | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) | Tabor / Smith / Magnier |
| 12 | 16 | Red Verdon | 9–0 | Silvestre de Sousa | Ed Dunlop | Ronald Arculli |
| 13 | 5 | Shogun (IRE) | 9–0 | Donnacha O'Brien | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) |
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