Trainer Mike De Kock won another big race at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai on Thursday. Kevin Shea steered Archipenko to a decisive win in the Al Fahidi Fort handicap. Archipenko, a Kingmambo colt, was 14-1 in the British betting market. In the final 200 metres of the 1600-metre event, Archipenko found a new gear to outpace Royal Oath and win by two lengths. The grass track was ‘good’. The time was 1 39.31 seconds.

Archipenko was 17th and last in the Vodafone Derby last year. Mick Kinane rode Archipenko and offered the excuse that his mount could not handle the ground and was a spent force a long way from home. A bar in Surrey, where many Derby winners’ names had been written in chalk, had Archipenko’s name in 2007.

Royal Oath, a winner at Royal Ascot in 2007, was the bridesmaid. Richard Mullen rode, Mick Kinane salvaged third with Lord Admiral. Linngari, the 11-8 favourite, was a disappointing fifth. This was the race in which Dr Mallya’s Admiralofthefleet was withdrawn.

Mike De Kock tried to lay the credit at John Murtagh’s door. “My thanks to John Murtagh who suggested blinkers and a tongue tie. It worked. He is a nice horse. He will go in the Dubai Duty Free.”

Jockey Shea said, “I had Linngari where I could see him and was happy with my position. My fellow took time to quicken but 200 (metres) out, I knew I would catch Royal Oath.”

Goldolphin’s Jalil, Frankie Dettori aboard, was the 5-6 choice in the Zawaj Stakes. A Storm Cat colt, Jalil was coming off a strong win in a 1700-metre dirt race. The Zawaj Stakes was over 2,000 metres. Jalil won by two and one half lengths in 2.1.81 seconds.

Saeed Bin Suroor, the winning trainer, was pleased. “Those are two nice wins. Jalil has a dirt pedigree. Let me see what the handicapper does before we map out plans.”

The road to the Kentucky Derby is always a fascinating one. Here is the first casualty. Crown of Thorns, from Richard Mandella’s yard, is out of the Derby. Crown of Thorns won the Grade II Robert B Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita recently. He has a stress fracture in his near-fore.

Absolute Champion who went in futile chase of Sacred Kingdom last Sunday at Sha Tin in Hong Kong has been found lame. He was lame in his off-fore. Plans call for Absolute Champion taking on Good Ba Ba and Sacred Kingdom in the 1400-metre Queen;s Silver Jubilee Cup next month.

There is not so good news from France. Mitsubishi Motors will sponsor the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) for the last time this year. The Jockey Club will be run on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at Chantilly, a breathtakingly charming racecourse outside Paris.

Chantilly also hosts the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) a week after the Derby. For the past 25 years, the Oaks has been sponsored by Hermes, the silk scarf-making outfit. It has been announced that Hermes will not support the Oaks any more. The Prix de Diane will be contested on June 8.

Curlin is being prepared for his Dubai debut on February 29. It is a handicap over 2,000 metres. Scott Bilasi, trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant, was brimming with confidence. “Curlin made the trip in good shape. He’s doing fantastic and has a lot of energy.”

Trainer Asmussen and jockey Robbie Albarado are due in Dubai early next week.

War Pass, four for four as a freshman and a top contender for the Kentucky Derby, will make his 2008 reappearance on Sunday in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park that has attracted five others. Nick Zito is pointing War Pass to the Grade III $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs in Florida.

Sunday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park will have 12 runners. Court Vision and Anak Nanal, two prominent names in the Derby picture, are in the field.

Joe Fanning, one of the better known jockeys in England, suffered injuries in a spill during the Glorious Goodwood meeting in 2007. He has been declared fit to ride and makes his 2008 debut on Monday at Wolverhampton’s all weather track.

The British Horseracing Authority is making changes to the formula used to calculate finishing distances and final times. Beginning Monday, on soft or worse going on ‘all weather’ surfaces, five lengths will equal one second. If the going is good to soft or better, it will be six lengths per second. It is an improvement and it takes into account the state of the racing surface.

Sources: Racing Post, NTRA and others