Luca no further for glory

Jun 1 2008 By Gordon Brown

LEADING fancy Curtain Call was conspicuous by his absence at Lingfield last month but the decision not to risk him may be rewarded in Saturday's Vodafone Derby.

Luca Cumani's colt was a late withdrawal due to the evident fast ground.

However, that won't be the case at Epsom where the rainsoftened conditions should be right up his street.

A son of recently retired super-sire Sadler's Wells, he shone in a work-out round Tattenham Corner last week and connections are bullish about his chances.

Cumani, twice a winner with High-Rise and Kahyasi, said: "Jamie Spencer said Curtain Call handled the track well and the work-out will have done him a world of good.

"He has done everything asked and it's a case of keeping him safe until the big day."

Formerly trained by Jessica Harrington, Curtain Call's value has already rocketed from his £64,000 yearling price tag as he was syndicated during the winter for £3.75million.

But he could be worth seven times that if he gallops to Derby glory.

Casual Conquest is set to be supplemented for a hefty £75,000 although stats point to that being a most lucrative investment.

My Newmarket work watcher tells me Tajaaweed has been catching pigeons on the Heath.

The recent Dee Stakes hero destroyed his galloping companion last Wednesday morning a surprising result considering their similarities.

Frankie Dettori (below) told me at Haydock he's looking forward to riding Rio de La Plata as he bids to follow last year's first win on Authorized.

A topical tip might be Tartan Bearer, another who has been burning up the gallops.

And football fans may fancy a tiny bit on 250- 1 outsider Alan Devonshire.

He is named after the ex-West Ham midfielder and is giving Paul Mulrennan his first ride.