A final piece of the Derby puzzle could fall into place at Goodwood on Friday with Classic entries Perennial and Cavaleiro among the potential starters in the Cocked Hat Stakes.
Both would be outsiders if they were to show up at Epsom just eight days later but the Listed race has produced some smart winners since being introduced in 2007.
They include Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Rewilding and last year’s St Leger hero Masked Marvel.
Perennial made a winning debut at Doncaster in September and ended his juvenile campaign by filling the runner-up spot in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.
He returned to action in the Feilden Stake, but could only finish sixth behind Stipulate.
“Perennial is a likely runner at Goodwood on Friday,” trainer Charlie Hills said.
“He was too keen in the Feilden Stakes and the ground was a little bit loose on top, so it wasn’t his true running.
“He has been left in the Derby at the moment and would obviously have to win impressively to be considered for Epsom, but we wanted to keep our options open.”
Marcus Tregoning’s Cavaleiro, who won a Newbury conditions race last September, made a pleasing seasonal return when third in the Lingfield Derby Trial.
“Cavaleiro might head to Goodwood, although he also has the option of going to Epsom for the Derby,” the trainer said.
“He won’t run in both races.”
Among the seven possible runners at Goodwood is the Andrew Balding-trained Expense Claim who won Saturday’s London Gold Cup at Newbury.
