2,000 Guineas reaction/Derby: Guineas hero in the pink: Derby next.
Byline: Tony O'Hehir and Jon LeesDERMOT WELD yesterday gave Sagitta 2,000 Guineas winner Refuse To Bend a clean bill of health following his Newmarket success and confirmed that the Vodafone Derby remains the colt's likely next target.
Now vying for Derby favouritism with compatriot Alamshar, Refuse To Bend is as short as 5-2 clear favourite with the Tote for Epsom following his Saturday defeat of Zafeen and Norse Dancer.
"Refuse To Bend arrived home on Saturday night and was in good form this morning," said Weld. "He seems to have taken the race well.
"I'll talk to Mr Haefner and to Stan Cosgrove [manager of Moyglare Stud] about plans, but it's very likely he'll go for the Vodafone Derby next."
Plans are on hold for Godolphin
stablemates Lateen Sails and Songlark after the pair finished last and tenth respectively.
Godolphin racing manager Simon
Crisford said: "We'll sit back and look at the whole race. Songlark ran well and wants a longer trip. Lateen Sails will have a bit of a break and come back in a conditions race. He's a good horse. He's shown at least Group 3 form in Dubai, so we know he's a stakes horse."
Expanding on Lateen Sails' perfor-mance, rider Frankie Dettori said: "He didn't know which leg to put in front of the other. The whole thing was too much for him and he got absolutely lost. The trials were all nice and easy, but the poor fellow was taken by surprise and it's back to square one. I don't mind finishing in the middle, but stone last! We can't be that wrong."
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| Title Annotation: | Sports |
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| Publication: | The Racing Post (London, England) |
| Date: | May 5, 2003 |
| Words: | 270 |
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