This Saturday represents one of the great racing days of the calendar year, as Epsom hosts the 246th running of the Derby. GG tipster Joe Napier previews that race, as well as giving tips in three others on the day.
1.00 Epsom – Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Group 3)
In a fiercely competitive race without too many obvious pace options, this could prove an opportunity for SPIRITUAL to break through at Group race level. She has almost always gone from the front in her races and Epsom usually rewards horses who set the fractions.
Should Rab Havlin dictate the ideal tempo, her form looks good enough to make her a Group 3 winner at least. She was beaten less than a length on her return in a Lingfield Group 3 over 7f, but this 1m trip is surely her optimum given her biggest win came at Listed level over the trip.
That was on soft ground, with her record on good-to-soft or slower reading 113. With rain arriving, the daughter of Invincible Spirit should prove well-suited by this test in many respects and getting past her will be the primary aim for her rivals.
1.35 Epsom – Betfred Diomed Stakes (Group 3)
Docklands was almost certainly unlucky to bump into a progressive sort last time out at Ascot, but he has made an uncomfortable habit of failing to win. Although three-year-olds have a poor record in this overall, it looks too soon to be giving up on ROYAL PLAYWRIGHT, who could easily be up to Group race standard.
He is a half-brother to fellow Andrew Balding star See The Fire, as well as the stayer Spirit Mixer, both of whom are improving as their careers go on. As a result, the fact the selection was a talented juvenile could well speak volumes, and he is likely to come good at some stage this year too, as See The Fire did in 2024.
He was possibly unfortunate not to win on his return at Newcastle and despite not staying in the Dante, he was still only two lengths off making the frame having also found himself way too far back in the field. The drop back to 1m, coupled with a touch of cut in the ground, could prove exactly what he needs.
2.10 Epsom – Betfred “3YO Dash” Handicap
A fast-breaking filly finished second in this in 2023 for Mick and David Easterby and an even less exposed version could do the business for them in this season’s renewal courtesy of GLORIOUS KITTY from near the foot of the weights.
A daughter of Cotai Glory, she makes her handicap debut here, but is clearly highly thought of, being pitched into Listed company on her debut at York last season, and running a fine race in fourth. Her second run at the same venue was clearly too bad to be true, as she has since reappeared with a promising enough third at Wolverhampton over 6f.
That extra furlong may just have stretched her, but she has been prominent or led in all three starts to date, which is always beneficial over Epsom’s speediest 5f. Her dam won on soft, so rain-softened going should not inconvenience her and she could well prove a long way ahead of her mark of 75.
3.30 Epsom – Betfred Derby (In Honour Of His Highness Aga Khan IV) (Group 1)
Though the last 2000 Guineas hero to follow up in the Derby was all the way back in 2012, four winners since have all run in the contest, so it can still provide a useful trial for the race. We could be about to see a Triple Crown chaser though, with RULING COURT worthy of the verdict in this open renewal.
There were doubts about City Of Troy in advance of the 2024 Derby, being by US Triple Crown hero Justify. However, that sire provided him with plenty enough stamina and could well have blessed Ruling Court with the same, with the selection looking to have enough staying power through his dam’s side too.
He has looked an impressive specimen on the racecourse, so while he was slightly fortunate to win the 2000 Guineas, he showed enough speed and resilience to hold off a talented stablemate and an already proven, high-class miler in Field Of Gold, who won the Irish 2000 Guineas in a procession. This extra half-mile could even suit him better and he races in a year in which no Ballydoyle runner screams of being a superstar.
With there being so much depth, a saver is worth playing on MIDAK to be the first French winner since Pour Moi in 2011.
Like that champion, Midak is set to be ridden by Mickael Barzalona, while he runs in the colours of the Aga Khan IV, after whom this running of the Derby is named. He may have been supplemented just for the famous silks to be carried in the race, but it’s £75,000 for the privilege and that would not have been spent lightly.
The son of Footstepsinthesand has bundles of stamina influences on his dam’s side, and is unbeaten in three, winning the same race Pour Moi did at Saint-Cloud as his final prep run. He did that stylishly, and already has a win over 1m3f to his name too. He could prove a livewire and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard was unlucky not to have even more success with his British runners last term: he sent out two winners and three runners-up from just nine attempts.
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