30 May 2023 , 16:58
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A group of lucky racehorse owners will take a shot at trying to win the £1.5 million Betfred Derby after shelling out just over £1,000 to get involved in their horse.
Dear My Friend will be a first runner in the historic race at Epsom for hugely successful syndicate operator Middleham Park Racing.
And Derby-winning jockey Mickael Barzalona is travelling over to Surrey from France to ride the Charlie Johnston-trained runner on Saturday.
Dear My Friend has won three of his seven races, including a Listed race at Newcastle in April before finishing eighth in the Dante Stakes at York.
He is a 66-1 chance with William Hill but Middleham Park’s director of operations Mike Prince said: “We are going there with our eyes wide open.
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“He got outpaced halfway down the straight in the Dante but we do think he will stay further. The Derby is one of those races where a few might not stay, a few might not act on the track and a few might not handle the occasion.
“We will be going there trying to pick up the pieces. There have been some big-priced placed horses in the Derby recently and we hope to be one of those.”
He added: “He will be our first runner in the Derby and we will have a few very excited people going there.”
Middleham Park Racing enjoyed its most successful year in 2022, with 125 winners. To date its horses have won four Group 1 races and total prize-money won this year is just short of £1 million.
Dear My Friend will be one of the cheapest horses in the field and having cost £40,000 at auction was syndicated to his 22 owners for which a 2.5 per cent share cost just over £1,000.
Hong Kong businessman Michael Lai, who bought 25 per cent, had the privilege of naming the horse. Dear My Friend is believed to be the name of a pop song.
Barzalona won the Derby on Pour Moi in 2011, famously standing up in the irons just before the line to celebrate.
Prince said: “James Doyle, who rode him at Newcastle, can’t ride because he is at Doncaster so it made sense to marry the horse up with Mickael who has won the Derby before and ridden our horse in Deauville before.”