Cassie Tully assesses the pedigrees for the Investec Derby at Epsom

Derby winners breed Derby winners. And Derby winners also breed top level winners at a variety of other distances both above and below the mile-and-a-half trip.

The reverse is not as common, however. Racehorses of high merit at shorter than middle-distances obviously do not often go on to breed Derby winners.

Eight of the last ten Investec Derby winners have been by sires that were Derby winners themselves.

And in the past 20 years, there have been seven winning sires in total that were not mile-and-a-half winners.

Five of these sires won Group One races over a mile (including Sadler’s Wells, Mark Of Esteem and King’s Best all of whom won a Guineas, then Cape Cross and Grand Lodge), and there was one sprinter that managed to produce a Derby winner but that was of course Danehill.

This year, nine of the 16 declared runners are by previous Derby winners at Epsom, two are by sires who won Grade Ones in the USA over this distance, one by a ten-furlong Group One winner, three by Guineas winners and there is one is by a sire whose sole winning distance was over six furlongs. That horse, however, has already shown he stays this trip after winning the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot.

The market leader for this year’s Blue Riband is English King. Winner of his sole start this season, the Lingfield Derby Trial which has prepared nine of the past Epsom Derby winners including last year’s victor.

He is by dual Derby hero Camelot who has already produced an Irish Derby, South Australian Derby and Belmont Oaks winner amongst his top-flight conquerors - and this horse doesn’t just have Classic winners in his sire line.

English King is out of the winning mare Platonic, which makes him a half-sister to French Group Three winner Pacifique and Stakes winner Prudenzia, the latter is the dam of Irish Oaks winning and French Oaks placed diva, Chicquita. As well as the globetrotting Ballydoyle millionaire who opposes Enable in the Eclipse on Sunday, Magic Wand.

This is also the family of triple Oaks-winning celebrity Alexandrova and Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling.

The sole Group One winner in the field and a dual one at that, is Kameko. Boasting the best form but also significant stamina doubts, His pedigree was dissected after his Guineas win here, culminating in the fact that Rip Van Winkle, who features under Kameko’s fourth dam, is the first Group winner over nine furlongs in his female family.

His sire Kitten’s Joy did win a mile and a half Grade One on turf in America though, and as Sheikh Fahad has alluded to, it is better to find out if he stays in the Derby than not, His ability to win or hit the frame on Saturday will hardly affect his ability to produce quality offspring once at stud either.

Ballydoyle send six horses this year, all by Galileo bar one, and each as regally bred as the next.

The choice of Ryan Moore ended up being Mogul. The 3.4million guineas yearling purchase is a full brother to dual Group One winner, and last year’s Investec Derby third, Japan. As well as Group Two winner and triple Oaks placed Secret Gesture, plus Group Three winner Sir Isaac Newton.

Mogul’s dam is then a half-sister to Arc winner Sagamix, Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Sagacity and Sage Et Jolie, the Group Three winning dam of another French Group One winner, Sageburg. Middle-distance class at every angle.

Russian Emperor, similar to last year’s Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, is out of an Australian granddaughter of Danehill.

In this case it is the four-time Group One winning champion Atlantic Jewel. She won her top races over seven, eight and ten furlongs in Australia and is a daughter of Fastnet Rock, from the family of other top Australian performers Commanding Jewel and I am Excited as well as Cheveley Park Stakes winner Pass The Peace.

One of the most interesting pedigree’s in the race is Padraig Beggy’s mount, Vatican City. The sixth foal and sixth Group One performer for Blue Hen mare Youresothrilling.

He, and all of his siblings are by Galileo, and even considering that it is one of the most illustrious pedigree pages in the stud book, there is also the question of whether he will stay.

The first foal out of this full-sister to Giant’s Causeway was Marvellous who, after winning the Guineas, finished sixth and eighth in her starts over the longer distance of the Epsom and Irish Oaks.

Dual Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes sensation Gleneagles extended past a mile only once and finished last at the Breeders’ Cup. Coolmore won one race which was over seven furlongs and dual Group One winning juvenile Happily did not place in any race beyond a mile.

Taj Mahal, however, did win two Group Two races while he was in Australia and they were both over Saturday's trip. And while the stayers in Australia may not be as strong as the forces in Europe, it is still a glimmer of stamina hope in this family oozing with quality.

While the field is packed with well-bred potential, it does remain relatively open and considering two of the most recent Derby winners won at 16/1 and 40/1, it would surely be unwise to overlook the larger priced contenders.

The most significantly-bred outsiders of the field include the following.

Pyledriver, who upset more fancied rivals in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot over this distance, is by the sprinter Harbour Watch out of a winning half-sister to French champion and 12-furlong Group One winner Mont Ormel.

Serpentine is out of Epsom Oaks placed mare Remember When, who has produced four Stakes winners in a row, all by Galileo, including Wedding Vow and and Bye Bye Baby who was placed in an Investec Oaks.

Their dam is a three-parts sister to six-time Group One, Arc and Irish Derby winning champion Dylan Thomas, as well as Cheveley Park Stakes winner Queen’s Logic and 1000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen.

Serpentine has only won a maiden over ten furlongs so far but is certainly bred for greater things.

Juddmonte’s sole contender is Emissary. It may only be his third racecourse visit, but he is a Kingman half-brother to 2010 Derby and Arc winner Workforce, out of a full sister to Racing Post Trophy and St Leger winner Brian Boru.

Mythical is a Group One placed Camelot half-brother to a multiple Group One-placed colt Johann Strauss.

While the Ballydoyle maiden Amhran Na Bhfiann is a full-brother to Investec Oaks winner Was, out of a half-sister to Investec Derby winner New Approach. If there was ever a 50/1 shot to go for based solely on pedigree it is most definitely him.

John Gosden’s sole representative is the USA-bred winner (from one start), Worthily a three-part brother to St Leger winner and Derby placed Lucarno.

No different to any other year, the sheer quantity of quality in this line up outlines the importance of the Epsom Classic in both past and future development of the thoroughbred.

This race has always been and will remain the greatest test of the racehorse. Even a glance at both past winners and the breeding of this weekend’s runners, ensures that should never be doubted.

Ten of the past ten Derby winners that have more than two crops of three-year-olds, have gone on to produce Group One winners at stud.

Who will be adding their name to that list of luminaries this year?

Pedigree is usually the best guide to success, but there are claims to fame in just about every one of the runners here. And ultimately what does that give us? A truly fascinating Investec Derby.

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