‘We’re Going to Roll Up Our Sleeves’: Teal Dances Back to Epsom 

EPSOM, UK — Some may not find an overcast morning in the middle of a deserted racecourse all that exciting but more fool them. Because all around the Epsom Downs the small temporary village that by this time next Friday will constitute the base for the Betfred Derby Festival is gradually being constructed and the sense of occasion is rising. 

But of course there's no Derby without horses, and four potential contenders for the race that remains the highlight of every Flat season gained an early sighter of the course on Tuesday morning before a small gathering of media and onlookers. 

Given that the press were invited along and hadn't merely gatecrashed, it was temporarily disconcerting to hear David Fish, the owner-breeder of Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) state, “I normally don't do media interviews.”

But Fish, who breeds in partnership with his wife Linda under their Fishdance banner, delivered his opening line with a wry smile and was soon engaging in some small talk about the rest of his bloodstock interests, which includes Dancing Magic (Ire), who was third in last year's G3 Craven S., and the Listed winner Dancing Tango (Ire), both of whom are also by the 2012 Derby winner Camelot.

“Camelot is my favourite stallion,” says Fish, clearly a sound judge. “Dancing Gemini is by Camelot and his dam is by Australia and they both won the Derby, but he's got that speed, you see.”

He continues, “We breed with Coolmore. We have three broodmares and we use their stallions. So we have three yearlings, three foals and five racehorses.”

Fish's racing operation is split between Britain and Ireland, with Dancing Gemini's year-younger full-sister, Dancing Teapot (Ire), in training with Joseph O'Brien. “Teapot is my wife's nickname,” he explains. “I wasn't very good at chatting up girls in those days and I saw her standing there with a handbag over her shoulder and smoking a cigarette. I said 'You look like a teapot', and it went from there. That was 50 years ago and I've always called her Teapot.”

Fish, who celebrates his birthday on Oaks Day, may be calling for something stronger than tea the following afternoon should Dancing Gemini fulfil a dream that his trainer Roger Teal can scarcely believe is now within his grasp. Teal, who has tasted top-level success with crack sprinter Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}), knows a good horse when one comes his way. Now based in Lambourn, he and his wife Sue spent their formative years in racing working in Epsom. 

“There are lots of good memories around here,” he says. “I worked right near the Derby start and I used to stand in Philip [Mitchell]'s garden for years and watch the runners go by. It's nice being on the other side of the fence. It'll be very exciting but it's very nerve-wracking as well. I probably won't sleep for a few nights beforehand but it will be lovely to come back and be involved in it, which isn't something I thought would ever happen.”

Dancing Gemini was accompanied on his canter around Epsom by Oxted's full-brother Chipstead (GB), with Mitchell's son Jack in the saddle of the lead horse while William Cox took the ride on the Derby contender. Dylan Brown McMonagle will however keep the ride a week on Saturday.

Teal continued, “William was delighted and said that he handled the track beautifully. It's on the easy side out there so it was lovely ground to do that this morning. Obviously he hasn't gone mad, he only ran nine days ago, but the whole point of coming here was just to give him a feel of the layout of the track and he looked good.

“I think we're going to roll our sleeves up and come here. It's very tempting to go back to France but it would be lovely to have a crack at the English Derby and to come here with a live contender is wonderful. It's very exciting for David, his wife Linda, and all involved in the team back at home.”

He added, “He's a very speedy horse but he has the breeding to get a mile and a half. He has such a relaxed manner about him and you can put him to sleep and use his burst of speed at the end of a race. He's not guaranteed to stay – no horse is – but on paper he has more of a chance of staying than not. 

“It's the Derby and there will be good horses wherever we go but the field has thinned out and that does help a little bit. Godolphin have lost two major contenders. It was very sad at Chester but [Hidden Law] looked to be very good before it happened. It's an open field and we've got to have a crack at it.

“Dylan has already been on the phone this morning so I've got to give him a call back and let him know my decision. He's bought into what we're doing and he believes in the horse, which is an added bonus. He's very confident after riding him in France.”

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