Thunder Snow added to Derby at second entry stage

Godolphin's Group One winner Thunder Snow is one of 10 additional entries for the Investec Derby at Epsom on June 3.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained colt won the seven-furlong Criterium International at Saint-Cloud last October and is unbeaten in two appearances on dirt in Dubai so far this year, including a last-gasp victory in last month's UAE Derby.

Godolphin have now paid the £9,000 fee to add him to the 12-furlong Classic at the second stage, as well as stumping up the same fee for the Kevin Ryan-trained Syphax and Hugo Palmer's Best Of Days as well as two others.

Akihiro, owned and bred by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, was a Group Three winner in France last year and has been put in the mix for Andre Fabre, while John Gosden's Cracksman, a son of Frankel, has also been added.

Sylvester Kirk has his sights firmly set on Epsom with Salouen, second behind National Defense in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Chantilly and third to Rivet and Yucatan in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Kirk said: "Salouen is in good shape and the plan is to get him to Epsom for the Investec Derby. He has done really well over the winter. He has strengthened up lovely and could not be better at the moment.

"He performed well last year and definitely deserves the entry. He is out of a Galileo mare which gives me hope that he will get the rmile and a half. You never know until you try, but he looked to stay well last year.

"We think he wants fast ground as he broke the two-year-old course record at Windsor on good to firm ground, although he did run well in the Racing Post Trophy on soft ground. I probably should have made more use of him that day but, given the ground, I didn't want him bombing along and then stopping.

"I would have preferred the Chantilly race was run at Longchamp on the day. The stamina test at Longchamp would have suited him better than going around the sharp bend at Chantilly.

"I don't know where he will start off yet. We will put him in all the good Derby trials and just see how the ground is looking nearer the time."

Roger Varian's Dubawi Prince, a maiden winner over 10 and a half furlongs on the opening day of the Flat season at Doncaster on April 1, and the unraced Unite The Clans, trained by Pat Shanahan, have also been given second entries, with 136 in contention at this stage.

There are two remaining opportunities for horses to be added to the Investec Derby, including winning the 10-furlong £50,000 Investec Derby Trial on Wednesday, April 26, the first fixture of the year at Epsom Downs.

Horses can also be supplemented at a cost of £85,000 at the five-day confirmation stage on May 29.