Sheikh Mohammed is gearing up for his assault on the 2010 European classics with Group 1 winning juveniles Vale Of York and Passion For Gold.

Vale Of York (Invincible Spirit) won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on November 7 and Passion For Gold emerged as another classic hopeful after a convincing victory in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Saturday.

Passion For Gold (2c Medaglia D´Oro – C´Est l´ Amour by Thunder Gulch), who was placed behind Coolmore colt St Nicholas Abbey in the G2 Beresford Stakes in September, has been installed at 10-1 for the 2010 English Derby.  St Nicholas Abbey (Montjeu) is a firm 5-2 pre-post favourite for the Derby next June.

“He’s one of the best two-year-olds I’ve sat on this year,” jockey Frankie Dettori said in Paris on Saturday.  “He was very impressive, liked the distance and has got a lot of scope.”

Passion For Gold topped the Tattersalls 2yo Breeze Up Sale earlier this year when purchased for 260,000gns by Godolphin.  The colt is from G2 US Nassau County Hcp winner C’Est L’Amour.

Passion For Gold is by Medaglia d’Oro who was transferred from Stonewall Stallions to Darley’s Kentucky base this year.  He is the sire of champion filly Rachel Alexandra and Godolphin colt Al Zir who was placed behind St Nicholas Abbey in the G1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster last month.

Al Zir (2c Medaglia d’Oro – Bayou Plans by Bayou Hebert) was a US$1.6 million buy for Sheikh Mohammed at the Fasig-Tipton 2yo Sale at Calder on March 3.