Nic Doggett has a horse-by-horse guide and verdict - including 7/1 selection - for Saturday's Betfred Derby at Epsom.
Betfred Derby
- When: 16:00 Saturday, June 6
- Where: Epsom Downs
- First prize: £1,000,000
- Going: Good to Firm, Good in places
- TV: ITV1 & Racing TV (Sky 424)
ACTION (Aidan O’Brien)
Green when third to subsequent 2000 Guineas hero Bow Echo in the Royal Lodge in September, but more the finished article when splitting Hawk Mountain and Benvenuto Cellini on testing ground in the Futurity Trophy a month later.
No-show on reappearance in Classic Trial, failing to get involved from the rear in a first-time tongue-tie, but well backed ahead of a much better front-running second to Item in the Dante Stakes at York last month, well clear of the third Christmas Day.
Close relation of last year’s Derby winner Lambourn who could take another step forward now up to a mile and a half, especially as rain-softened ground would appear ideal.
ALDERMAN (Richard Hannon)
Likely to be just a social runner if taking his place, the Study Of Man colt having failed to win in three maidens, for all he came from much further back than most when bumping into the exciting Water To Wine at Newbury on his reappearance last month.
ANCIENT EGYPT (Charlie Johnston)
Expensive colt who won his first two starts, at Beverley and Goodwood, before beating just one home in the Royal Lodge on his third and final start at two.
Proved that all wrong when beating four rivals in a listed contest over 10 furlongs at HQ last month, and interesting that connections have kept their powder dry since (previous two winners of that race finished down the field in the Dante less than a fortnight later).
Dam stayed on well when winning over 10 furlongs on her second and final start and is a sister to Midday who won Group 1s over this distance, so he should stay this longer trip and looks a big player as a result.
A TASTE OF GLORY (Andrew Balding)
No surprise he failed to fire when thrown into the Group 1 Criterium Saint-Cloud less than three weeks after winning a modest Brighton maiden, and Lingfield handicap win off 80 suggests that’s more his level than this, only emphasised by a 14-length last in the Lingfield Derby Trial last month.
BALZAC (Jane Chapple-Hyam)
Has twice finished third to Maltese Cross – on debut at HQ in September and then in the Lingfield Derby Trial last month – so work to do on that front.
Also ground to make up on Rebel Rocker on their run in the Blue Riband Trial here in-between, form let down by the winner Saxon Street (and the fourth, New Zealand) since.
Looks up against it.
BAY OF BRILLIANCE (Ralph Beckett)
Ran on well after a slow start on debut and made no mistake when a well-supported favourite at Goodwood – up in trip – on his next start. Confirmed his ability under a 7 lb penalty when easing more than eight lengths clear of Poker at Redcar on his final start at two.
Just came out second best following a sustained duel with Maltese Cross in the Lingfield Derby Trial on his return to action last month.
Straightforward sort who is a half-brother to Ebor/Chester Stakes/County Hurdle winner Absurde, so should have no problem with the occasion or the trip. Considered.
BENVENUTO CELLINI (Aidan O’Brien)
Flashy chestnut who progressed with each start last term, arguably achieving more when third to Hawk Mountain in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster than when coming well clear in a weak renewal of the Group 2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown the preceding month.
Made no mistake under a penalty when a well-backed favourite of the Chester Vase last month, coming four and a quarter lengths clear of clearly inferior stablemate Proposition.
Hard to know what he achieved there, but that may not be that important given his connections and the glowing way in which he is spoken of. “Benvenuto is the most incredible mover, very like his grandad [Galileo]. He might be a bit quicker than him, too,” said O’Brien at the weekend.
CAUSEWAY (Aidan O’Brien)
Made most of his proven stamina when making all over seven furlongs at the Curragh in October and has continued his progress this term, winning all three starts including the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes back there last time.
Hasn’t looked the quickest on any of those occasions, but no doubting his will to win and no surprise to see him give it a good go from the front.
Shapes as if he will stay (dam’s sisters include Magical whose wins included the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes over this trip).
CHRISTMAS DAY (Aidan O’Brien)
Eye-catching third behind Action on debut but needed two more starts before breaking his duck at Gowran, after which he showed great tenacity to pip A Boy Named Susie in the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown.
Missed his final start at two when picking up a temperature, and unfancied in the betting when completing a hat-trick in the Ballysax Stakes back at Leopardstown in April.
Seemingly no excuses when sent off favourite for the Dante at York the following month, unable to muster much of a meaningful challenge towards the near side, but longer trip and softer ground here should both be in his favour.
ENDORSEMENT (Aidan O’Brien)
Tipperary maiden winner at two who has acted as a pacemaker in all three starts since finishing second to Pierre Bonnard in the Group 3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket.
Same likely again here but doesn’t have the profile of the likes of Serpentine who didn’t come back to the field in 2020.
ITEM (Andrew Balding)
Unbeaten Frankel colt who looked equally at home when defying a wide draw on his September debut at Kempton as when making all under a penalty on quick ground at Bath later that month.
Heavy ground deemed unsuitable when scratched from the Futurity Trophy the following month, but patience of connections rewarded on reappearance this term when going clear of Action – despite being a little fresh - in the Dante last month, the pair well clear of their six rivals.
Entitled to have learned plenty from that first start at Group level, and looks the most realistic chance his trainer has had in the race since his 2020 favourite Kameko (has saddled two horses to be runner-up at huge prices) for all there are some slight doubts over the colt’s stamina on pedigree.
JAMES J BRADDOCK (Joseph O’Brien)
Late starter who made short work of 19 Curragh rivals when winning by six lengths on his second start, and appeared to learn plenty/come on for seasonal reappearance (fifth, beaten three and a half lengths behind Christmas Day in the Ballysax) when pipping Pierre Bonnard in the Leopardstown Derby Trial last month.
Form of that Group 3 not startling (Endorsement only beaten half a length in third), but shapes as if this trip will suit and wouldn’t be wise to underestimate any from this yard.
MALTESE CROSS (William Haggas)
Promising debut second to more experienced River Card on soft ground at Ascot, before showing great tenacity to fend off Del Maro at Newmarket later that September.
Has had to show similar battling qualities to continue his winning streak this term, both at Newbury and when stepping up further in trip when landing the Lingfield Derby Trial last month.
Connections more satisfied with that effort than with his reappearance, and jockey Tom Marquand confident that both course and trip (as his pedigree suggests) will suit. Under the radar slightly, it seems.
PIERRE BONNARD (Aidan O’Brien)
Looked raw on debut but quickly made up into one of the yard’s leading Derby horses following wins at Dundalk, Newmarket (Zetland Stakes) and when clearing away from A Boy Named Susie in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
Disappointing, therefore, that he hasn’t added to his tally in two starts this term, though ran better when second to James J Braddock in the Derby Trial and suspicion is that there should be plenty more to come now upped in trip.
May be a St Leger horse down the line (year older half-sister Crepe Suzette ran well when third in the Park Hill Stakes over that trip) but no surprise to see a very bold show here first.
POKER (Karl Burke)
Serious price tag (4.3 million guineas) but yet to win in three starts, running to a similar level when second to his promising stablemate Ravenspire on his reappearance at Haydock as when filling the same position – beaten eight lengths – behind Bay Of Brilliance last year.
Bred for the job, being out of a sister to the 2012 Oaks winner Was and from the family of the 2008 Derby winner New Approach, so could feasibly improve for this challenge, but will certainly need to.
PROPOSITION (Aidan O’Brien)
Well held in the same Navan mile maiden that James J Braddock was second in, before stamina kicked in when getting up late in a Galway contest over seven furlongs.
Went off too fast when setting the race up for stablemate Benvenuto Cellini in the Chester Vase on his reappearance.
Should come on for that, but similar tactics likely here which would be something of a disservice to his own fine pedigree (closely related to Causeway’s dam Heaven Of Heavens). Could last longer than Endorsement, but that’s unlikely to be enough for a place.
REBEL ROCKER (Faye Bramley)
Less fashionably bred than his rivals but progressed nicely from his Kempton debut win when splitting Saxon Street and Balzac in the Blue Riband Trial here back in April.
That form leaves him with plenty to find, however, for all he could improve again now stepped up to a mile and a half (plenty of stamina amongst his siblings).
Verdict
Wednesday’s draw (and subsequent jockey bookings) will undoubtedly impact upon the betting, with 11 of the last 13 winners drawn in stall seven or higher, and Ryan Moore’s last three rides in the race being sent off at 3/1 fav, 9/2 and 2/1 fav.
The expectation is that Moore will choose Benvenuto Cellini - whose trainer already appears to be talking him up as if he’s retiring to stud next week – and those who take him on too dogmatically might do so with a foreboding sense of trepidation as the race time draws nearer.
Dante winner Item, the fresh Ancient Egypt, and the underestimated pair of Bay Of Brilliance and Maltese Cross, form arguably the strongest home challenge since Desert Crown led home a 1-2-3-4 for Britain in 2022, however recent evidence tells us that the greatest dangers to Ballydoyle-trained favourites often reside in other boxes at the yard.
Described by his trainer as "a lovely big horse and still a big baby" last season, it might just be that it has taken PIERRE BONNARD longer to come to hand than some of his stablemates.
This race has clearly been the plan for some time and the rainfall in Epsom this week will have been welcome; it would only increase confidence were he to be reunited with either Christophe Soumillon, who rode him to success at Saint-Cloud and was second in last year’s Derby on Lazy Griff, or Wayne Lordan who has won on the horse and was successful on Lambourn 12 months ago.
Published at 14:44 BST on 01/06/26
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