A single horse had the NOK 100,000 supplementary entry fee for Norsk Derby paid when the deadline expired on 19 February. The money was put up for the chestnut No Nay Never son Nope Never, who was bought at Arqana in November and has now gone into training with Are Hyldmo at Øvrevoll.
This year it is exactly 40 years since Are Hyldmo trained the first of his so far five Derby winners at Øvrevoll. That was in August 1984 with Winning Flush (Poker), who was ridden to victory by Gunnar Nordling.
Nordling was likewise in the irons on Hyldmo’s two next Derby winners: Duty Time (Night Shift) in 1994 and Inchrory (Midyan) in 1996, after which Kim Andersen took over with the two most recent: Barrier Reef (Perugino) in 2000 and Harrier (Prince Of Birds) in 2001.
It has by now also become 23 years since Are Hyldmo last saddled the winner of Norsk Derby, but the Norwegian keeps trying diligently, and perhaps the time has finally come in 2024.
At Arqana’s November Sale, Hyldmo’s clients Stall Lilleville namely acquired the chestnut colt Nope Never. A son of No Nay Never and winner of the 1600 metre Prix Mesnil on grass in his most recent start in Toulouse for White Birch Farm in October.
Nope Never was bought for 65,000 euros through Walter and Martin Buick, and he has come to Scandinavia with a converted handicap mark of 85 after his four two-year-old starts in France for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.
He started off with a fourth place over 1200 metres at Deauville in July, after which he collected third places a month apart over 1400 and 1500 metres at Deauville and at Saint-Cloud.
On 13 October he took his first win on the grass in Toulouse, and he looked to need every metre of the distance to fight down Saint Aquilin (Le Havre). Saint Aquilin subsequently gave the form a fine boost, when in his next start he won with playful ease by four lengths over 2000 metres.
Nope Never is the first foal out of the Listed-placed Pavlenko (Deep Impact) – a full sister to Coolmore’s Racing Post Trophy (Gr.1) and 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) winner and successful stallion Saxon Warrior, and to Flemming Velin’s now four-year-old Group 3 winner Drumroll.
The second dam Maybe (Galileo) won among others Moyglare Stud Stakes (Gr.1) and Debutante Stakes (Gr.2) and was third in 1000 Guineas (Gr.1).
Further big names in the female line include the Oaks (Gr.1) winner Dancing Rain, the Group 1-placed mares Promise To Be True and Magic Lily as well as last year’s St. Leger Stakes (Gr.1) winner Continuous.
Nope Never cost 85,000 guineas as a yearling at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2.
The total prize money in the 2024 edition of Norsk Derby ended at NOK 1,395,000, of which 697,500 goes to the winner.
Nope Never is at the present time the highest-handicapped horse in Norsk Derby, but his handicap mark does not yet figure on the entry list.
The colt has that in common with all of Hyldmo’s previous Derby winners, that he began his career outside Norway.
Winning Flush, Duty Time, Inchrory, Barrier Reef and Harrier were all bought after their two-year-old season and supplemented into Norsk Derby.
