Charlie Johnston's Ancient Egypt could take in Epsom to get to know the track before the Betfred Derby

The Middleham handler is considering sending the Amo Racing-owned colt, who cost 1.1 million guineas as a yearling, down to the iconic Surrey venue for the annual pre-Derby gallops event on Tuesday May 26.

After beating just one rival home in the Group Two Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket on his final outing at two, the son of Frankel made a triumphant return to the Rowley Mile with a Listed win on his first start over 10 furlongs in the JCB Newmarket Stakes earlier this month (see free video replay, below).

On the back of that success, Johnston feels an away day down to Epsom Downs would do Ancient Egypt, who is short as 14/1 to secure Classic glory on June 5, no harm.

Johnston said: “It is on my radar to go down to Epsom for the gallops morning with Ancient Egypt. I actually mentioned it to Kia (Joorabchian, owner of Amo Racing) this week and said that we would wait until the middle of next week and see where the horse is in terms of his weight and what work he needs to do.

“He is a horse that generally takes plenty of work and he had plenty of graft going into Newmarket. I’m leaning towards the idea and I would be seventy-thirty in favour of him going down there.

"We will see how he is next week, and what he needs work wise, but knowing the horse a day away would do him no harm.

"I’m not convinced that cantering around the track at the speed that he will go a week and a bit before the race will tell you whether he handles the track, but it can do no harm that is for sure.”

With almost all the key trials for the Betfred Derby now complete Johnston, who sent out Lzy Griff to finish second at 50/1 in the world-famous Group One last year, believes that the biggest challenge to his charge will come from the Aidan O’Brien team.

He said: “I don’t see a huge amount that worries me outside of Ballydoyle at the moment. The horse in the Dante was impressive and you can’t knock him as he is unbeaten and he is still unexposed, but as is generally the way I’m sure the biggest dangers will come out of Ballydoyle.

“I don’t think the trials have changed a lot for us in that we knew before them and we know now that we need to improve ten to fourteen pounds on what we have shown so far.

“We are as certain as we can be without having run over the trip that he will stay. I’m hopeful, and reasonably confident, that he is a well balanced horse that will handle the track.

“I’m hopeful, and fairly confident, that he is a mature enough horse that he will handle the occasion. In that sense I’m confident we have plenty going for us, whether he is good enough or not we will find out on the day."

With Ancient Egypt costing a staggering £1.1 million guineas as a yearling Johnston admits that his last time out Listed success was a relief to get in the bag.

He added: “We always had plenty of belief in the horse and we wouldn’t have asked him that sort of question if we didn’t think he could be competitive at that level as he has always been held in that regard.

"We felt that he would be a different proposition this year as a three year old over these kinds of distances. It was a relief and fantastic to get that win under the belt on his first start, but we now want more and even bigger things.”

'I’m sure she will be underestimated'

Stablemate Venetian Lace will not be making her way down to Epsom Downs before taking aim at the Betfred Oaks on June 5 with Johnston keen to send this year’s Betfred 1000 Guineas third straight to the fillies Classic.

He added: “She definitely won’t go down there. She takes a lot out of herself anywhere she goes. She lost 22 kilograms just for going to Newmarket for the gallop at the Craven meeting. Anything losing more than 15 kilograms is significant, but that is normal for her as she did it nearly every start last year.

"She has put it all back on now, but she puts it back on generally very quickly. She wouldn’t want to be going away and losing that kind of weight ten days before the Oaks. She will do very little between now and then as she is fit and raring to go.

“I’m sure she will be underestimated and looked at in the way that she is tough and just gallops, but she has been placed in two Group Ones at a mile.

"There aren’t going to be many fillies going into it with any better form than her. She is not guaranteed to stay. We are pretty certain that she will stay ten furlongs and on pedigree we are pretty hopeful she will stay twelve furlongs. If she does then she will be bang there.”

Venetian Lace could be joined at Epsom Downs next month by Jennifer Jane with Johnston not ruling out supplementing the daughter of New Bay for the Group One prize following her victory in the Listed Oliver Brown Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.

However, Johnston admits that the Group Two Oaks d’Italia at San Siro on June 21 remains an attractive alternative.

Johnston said: “To spend thirty five thousand pounds to supplement her for the Oaks, especially for a horse that will be 25/1, is quite a lot, but at the same time Oaks runners don’t come around very often.

“There would be less question marks if she went to Italy. There would be no question mark over the distance and she would probably be good enough to win it without knowing what you are up against over there.

“Whereas at Epsom there would be a question mark over the trip and question mark over whether she is quite good enough, although the handicapper clearly thinks she is as she is up to one hundred eight after her win at Newmarket.

“That sort of rating would put her up with the top handful in the Oaks.”

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