Vodafone Derby Betting Odds Update

Shamardal gave the boys in blue of Godolphin a much-needed boost when landing the Gainsborough Poule d´Essai des Poulains at Longchamp on Sunday May 15, and is now generally a 16-1 chance for the Vodafone Derby at Epsom on June 4, although he can be backed at a top-priced 25-1 with BlueSquare.By their own extremely high standards Godolphin have had a rather disappointing start to the 2005 turf Flat season, especially with Dubawi suffering defeat in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month. But, you can't keep a good team down.Sent off the 4-1 favourite, Shamardal made every post a winning one in the French equivalent to the 2,000 Guineas, staying on well under pressure to repel the strong challenge of Irish raider Indesatchel, with Gharir faring best of the home contingent in third.In the process, Shamardal, who was last season's European champion juvenile following his scintillating victory in the Dewhurst Stakes, dispelled any conjecture that he may not have trained on following a desperately disappointing comeback run in the UAE Derby at Nad Al Sheba in March.The son of Giant's Causeway could now bid to give jockey Frankie Dettori a belated first victory in Flat racing's blue riband, the Derby. However, he possesses plenty of natural speed and while it's likely that he will stay 10-furlongs, there has to be a real question mark as to whether he has the stamina to see out the gruelling mile-and-a-half of the Derby.Shamardal also holds an entry in the one-mile St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot at York next month, in addition to the ten-furlong Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in July, a race his sire won in 2000.Motivator is now clear favourite at a top priced 11-4 with Blue Square for the Vodafone Derby following his impressive victory in the Dante Stakes at York on May 12.As short as 7-4 in some places, Michael Bell's charge showed a decisive turn of foot in that Group Two contest and ran well to beat the The Geezer cosily by a length-and-a-half, despite hanging badly right in the closing stages.The son of Montjeu looks a worthy favourite. The only thing he has yet to prove is whether he is effective on better ground than the soft going which he has encountered on all three of his career starts to date. Otherwise, his credentials look solid.