Derby plans on track for Roger Varian trial winners

Keith Hamer
May 18, 2021 3:45 pm

Third Realm and El Drama tee up Epsom-Chantilly double bid.

Roger Varian is planning an English/French Derby double with Classic trial winners Third Realm and El Drama.

Third Realm is on target for Epsom on June 5 after winning the Lingfield Derby Trial, while Dee Stakes scorer El Drama will head to Chantilly for the Prix du Jockey Club the following day.

Varian gave a positive update on his Classic-chasing pair.

Third Realm impressed in the Lingfield Derby Trial (John Walton/PA)

“We’re very pleased with Third Realm,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He hasn’t put a foot wrong since Lingfield so he’s on course for the Derby and we hope he trains smoothly over the next fortnight or so.

“El Drama is on target for the French Derby. That has been the plan since Chester and remains the plan.

El Drama (left) swoops to conquer at Chester (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“We’re very happy with him as well.”

Varian introduced a potentially exciting three-year-old colt in Bashosh at Leicester on Monday evening.

The full-brother to Group One winner Nezwaah looked a bright prospect when pulling away in the closing stages to beat Thaler by four lengths in a seven-furlong maiden, with the third horse 16 lengths further away.

“He won nicely and we were very impressed,” said Varian.

Bashosh looks an exciting prospect judged on his debut win at Leicester (Keith Hamer/PA)

“We thought he would run a nice race, maybe seven furlongs would be a bit sharp for him but we hoped he’d run well. I’m very pleased he did that and he looks to have a future.”

Varian compared Bashosh to Nezwaah, who also made her racecourse debut at the age of three and gained her biggest success in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh as a four-year-old.

“He’s a similar type. They were both late developing,” he said.

“I think this horse will make progress throughout the summer and be a good prospect for this summer and next summer as well.

Bashosh's illustrious sister Nezwaah winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in 2017 — Bashosh’s illustrious sister Nezwaah winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in 2017 (Niall Carson/PA)

“I’m sure he’ll stay a mile and a quarter. I think the softly-softly approach will be the right one. He took a long time to get organised to make his debut.

“The big fancy three-year-old races are upon us now so there’s no rush with him. He can take all summer to learn his trade and hopefully he’ll be the type for a nice race during the second half of the season, with one eye on next year as well. I don’t think we’ll over-face him in the short term.

“He’s a horse we like and we will try to manage his career accordingly.”