Weld's greatest conquest

Dermot Weld has broken down more global barriers than any other European trainer and tomorrow his unbeaten colt Casual Conquest can land him his biggest prize yet, the Vodafone Derby.

The trainer was the first European to win an American Triple Crown race as well as two Melbourne Cups and has also triumphed in the American Derby, the Irish Derby and the Italian Derby.

Now he saddles the favourite in Casual Conquest, who was mightily impressive when slamming the Ballydoyle first string Washington Irving by six lengths on his reappearance this season in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown in May.

Before the victory, he wasn't entered in the Epsom Derby but two days later owner nonagenarian Walter Haefner paid the £75,000 supplement fee to add the son of Hernando to the field.

Weld has fond memories of Epsom, as he won the Oaks there in 1981 with Blue Wind and also rode a winner at the course as an amateur in 1975 when he took the Moet and Chandon Silver Magnum, beating another up and coming youngster, Luca Cumani.

The Italian trainer faces him again tomorrow, saddling one of the main dangers in Curtain Call.

Cumani has bagged two Derbys in 1988 and 1998, but the drying ground will not help his horse's cause this time as both of Curtain Call's wins to date have been with some give underfoot.