Epsom Derby 2018: Harry Dunlop hoping Knight To Behold can land him his ‘dream’ Derby

MOST teenagers have posters of footballers or the latest popstar on their bedroom wall.

Harry Dunlop had Salsabil.

The filly was trained by his dad John to win the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and Irish Derby in 1990.

As one of Flat racing’s greats looked down on the snoozing schoolboy his dreams were no doubt filled with Derby winners and big-race glory.

After today he’ll be hoping to wake up to another Classic hero stuck up on the wall of his Lambourn stables.

His Knight To Behold lines up in the Investec Derby with more than an outside chance of giving 42-year-old Dunlop victory in the £1.5million Classic.

He booked his Epsom ticket with an impressive three-and-a-quarter-length win in Lingfield’s Derby Trial.

Although this will be his first runner in Flat racing’s prized jewel, Dunlop is no stranger to saddling Derby runners, having worked for his dad and godfather Sir Henry Cecil.

He told me: “We’ve loved him from day one. We thought he might be good enough for the Derby, that’s the dream.

“You don’t think that about a horse often, sadly. I’m sure John Gosden probably does more than I.

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“He handled Lingfield. I don’t see why he shouldn’t handle Epsom - he’s very athletic.

“I’ve been here before with my father’s horse Let The Lion Roar. He was third so it would be great to go a little bit better.

“It was a funny race at Lingfield. A lot of jockeys didn’t want to go on and my horse broke very well. He pulled for the first furlong but when he went to the front he relaxed.

“He just dominated it. He left Kew Gardens behind then he quickened again and had it won two out..

“He’s from the family of Millenary and Let The Lion Roar — both horses that wanted 1m4f or 1m6f. You need to stay and they’ve got to have a touch of class. I hope ours has.”

If Knight To Behold does triumph Dunlop will become the third member of his family to train a Classic winner.

Dad John won ten in a distinguished 46-year career.

Brother Ed won the Oaks with Ouija Board and Snow Fairy but his quest for the Epsom colts’ Classic goes on.

Harry was only two when Shirley Heights gave his dad a first Derby win in 1978 but well remembers being at Epsom to cheer home Erhaab in 1994.

He said: “It was an amazing day. I remember Willie Carson manoeuvring him like a sports car to get round everything. He was a talented horse and worthy Derby winner.

“Silver Patriarch got nailed by a nostril by Benny The Dip three years later. That was a difficult day. It’s galling when you go so close.
“When I worked for Henry we had Beat Hollow and Wellbeing run well in the Derby. I was here to help saddle the horses and we had Love Divine win the Oaks so I’ve got special memories of Epsom.

“The Derby has this great history and mystique and it’s wonderful to be involved. We’re not a big yard, we want to get bigger and having a Derby runner is massively important.

“This is every trainer’s dream.”

Although Dunlop was surrounded by Flat superstars in his youth he ended up in the heart of jump racing at Lambourn’s Windsor House stables.

It was once home to Nicky Henderson and Knight To Behold stands in a box once filled by a hurdling hero.

The brass plaque outside the stable door marks the one-time residence of three-time Champion Hurdler See You Then. And Knight To Behold’s Derby raid has not gone unnoticed among the locals.
He explained: “After the horse won at Lingfield I was in the Co Op and people came up to me to say ‘well done, good luck for the Derby’. That says it all about the Derby.”
Dunlop’s first Group 1 win with Robin Of Navan went under the radar as it was in France.
But if Knight To Behold could grab Derby glory there would be little chance of that happening again — even among Lambourn’s jump racing tweeds.