Newmarket Tuesday July 5th 2005
By Paul Simmons

Track: Good

The President of the UAE International Challenge Derby (Group 1) (4 yrs old only) 1 Mile 2 Furlongs:
1. Arsene Rupin A Munro
2. Aikido Vege P Van De Keere
3. Al Sabeq T Durcan
4. Muneef D Bouland

Distances: neck, short head, head 7 ran

Winner owned by The Day In Toulouse Partnership. Trained by Miss. G Ward. Bred by M Jean-Claude Di Francesco.

Arsene Rupin (Dormane x Djelsomina) came of age at Newmarket when showing remarkable battling qualities to win the UK Derby – becoming the first British owned and trained winner of the Derby. Having won the Derby trial the hard way by leading from start to finish, at Newmarket he had a lead and was always travelling supremely well behind, he quickened well from the dip and showed an impressive turn of foot in the final furlong but was all out to hold on by a neck from Aikido Vege (Elios De Carrere x Agak Vege) -Karen Van Den Bos’s raider from the Netherlands. The French challenger Al Sabeq (Tidjani x Amira Al Chame) didn’t have the best of runs and was gaining with every stride at the line, whilst Muneef (Amer x ) from Qatar was another head back in fourth. A delighted Georgina Ward said:
“ Arsene Rupin is very special and a joy to train as he has such a fantastic attitude. He has such a high cruising speed and an impressive turn of foot. What more could you ask for in a racehorse? We’ll take on the older horses in the Dubai Stakes next”.
Alan Munro – who rode the winner and had his first ride in an Arabian race when piloting Arsene to win the Derby trial at Newbury - was full of praise for the winner:
“ It was a brilliant performance and he kept on even when tired. I am delighted to have ridden a Derby winner especially one with so much heart and still on the upgrade!”