Wednesday 6 May 2015 18:47, UK
Caspian Prince is one of three previous winners among the 45 entries revealed for the £100,000 Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash' over five furlongs at Epsom Downs on Investec Derby Day, Saturday, June 6.
The Tony Carroll-trained six-year-old made all the running last year to beat Seeking Magic by a head in the valuable heritage handicap down the fastest five-furlong course in the world and has gone on to capture a handicap over the same distance at Meydan, Dubai, in February.
Duke Of Firenze landed the spoils when trained by Sir Michael Stoute in 2013, while Stone Of Folca was a 50/1 shock winner in 2012.
Another contender with excellent course and distance form is Monumental Man. The six-year-old scored on his first outing at the Surrey course in July, 2013, and doubled up with an impressive three and three quarter length victory over Secret Missile in the Investec Asset Finance Handicap on April 22.
His Shropshire-based trainer James Unett revealed: "The Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash' is the aim for Monumental Man.
"He won in a very fast time the other day and is now unbeaten in two starts at Epsom. The handicapper has put him up 12lb to a mark of 92 and that should be high enough to get a run in the Dash. Historically, 92 would have got you a run in the last four renewals.
"He is off a career-high mark but it is all relative. He has paid the price for winning so well in a competitive handicap.
"Epsom seems to bring out the best in him and if he's handicapped for Epsom then it is OK. Whether he is up to competing elsewhere off that mark is another thing.
"He has come out of his last run really well and he will go straight to Epsom now. We will do the same as we did last time and travel down the night before. All I need now is fast ground, a good draw and a tail wind!"
Steps was beaten three quarters of a length into fourth last year after encountering trouble in running. He subsequently finished sixth in the Group One King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Other notables include Monsieur Joe, a Group Three winner in France in 2012, and 2013 Group Two Flying Childers Stakes victor Green Door.
Local handler Peter Crate has four entries, headlined by 2013 runner-up Smoothtalkinrascal, while Cowell's quartet includes the talented Normal Equilibrium.
Dandy Nicholls is the most successful trainer in the race with four victories. The Yorkshire-based handler's entries are Barnet Fair, Pearl Acclaim and the veteran Inxile.
There is international interest courtesy of the Moscow Eight, trained in France by Eoghan O'Neill, and Irish challenger Chiclet who has won on each of her last three starts.
Weights for the Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash' will be revealed on Wednesday, May 13, with the scratchings deadline on Tuesday, May 19. A maximum field of 20 can go to post.
