Epsom Derby 2022: Grand Alliance Profile
Charlie Fellowes will go in search of his first Epsom Derby success on June 4 when he saddles Grand Alliance in the Group 1 Classic, but the son of Churchill will be a huge priced contender for the showpiece event...
Grand Alliance
Sire: Churchill
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes
Runs: 5
Wins: 2
Once raced as a two-year-old, Grand Alliance started his career off at Wolverhampton at the end of December 2021 and the son of Churchill could only finish fourth in a Wolverhampton novice stakes over a mile. Relatively quickly turned out again at the start of 2022, Grand Alliance returned to the all-weather at Wolverhampton, where he improved on his debut, but could only finish third in a maiden contest.
Remaining on the all-weather for his third career start at Chelmsford City, Fellowes' raider finally notched up a first success in a novice stakes at Chelmsford City in mid-February. Switching to the turf for his first outing on the grass, Grand Alliance then followed up with an impressive handicap success over 1m 2f 43y off a mark of 81.
Showing huge improvement as a three-year-old, Fellowes opted to send his three-year-old to Epsom for a spin around the unique track, and Grand Alliance lined up in the Listed Blue Riband Trial, and he duly put up a career best. Sent off an 11/1 chance for the contest, Grand Alliance put up a bold bid for glory and finished a fine second behind Nahanni, who is set to line up in the Derby as well on Saturday afternoon.
With form to find with that charge at the weekend, Grand Alliance will also face some proven top-class colts, and he could ultimately come unstuck in what is a wide open renewal of the colts' Classic.