Investec Derby: Trainer quotes | Andrew Balding, Aidan O'Brien, Ed Walker & William Muir

Ed Walker, English King

"The nerves have been kicking in for quite a long time, to be honest. It's pleasing the string seems in good order. A couple of weeks ago I was a little anxious, as a lot of them were running well but some were needing their first runs.

"Quite a lot now are having their second runs and hitting the bullseye, which always helps settle the nerves a bit. I have to say the draw doesn't worry me. Frankie's not worried and the fact Ryan Moore didn't choose his ride until after the draw and he went for Mogul, who is next to us in two, suggests to me neither Frankie nor Ryan feel it is impossible to win from down there.

"Frankie has seen and done it all before. A few weeks ago I was expecting a smaller field, so it may be more tactical than normal, but then it's always tactical in the Derby. We've got the right man on board to navigate the waters. Frankie has that wealth of experience and knows what to expect and when to expect it - Tom doesn't. That's what it boiled down to.

"Bjorn is a great landlord, great friend and great owner. If we can win the Derby for him with a horse from his own stable and fulfil his lifetime dream, it will probably mean I will never have to move yards ever again! We don't truly know how much is left in the tank, so that is enormously exciting.

"We definitely realised we had a very nice horse after he won at Newcastle, but it was after Lingfield we realised we had a live Derby candidate. He was always just a very nice, athletic horse who did everything asked of him. Bjorn is a great man to train for as everything is about the Derby - he's either trying to produce fillies to produce him a Derby winner, or raise colts to win the Derby. It's a simple remit!"

Andrew Balding, Kameko

"We were really pleased with the way that Kameko came out of Newmarket, he is a very laid-back horse. He slept that night, got up the next morning and was straight back to work and hasn't looked back since. We went into the Guineas with high hopes that he would run very well, but I was really pleased with the way he won the race. I think it was a strong Guineas, I think both Wichita and Pinatubo are two very good horses and he picked them up and was on top at the end and that was important.

"I think his last furlong was his best furlong. Even though he hung slightly across the track, he was really strong at the end of the race. I think that has got to be encouraging in terms of looking towards Epsom. Handling Epsom is something you just never really know until you get to the racecourse. I think he came into the dip and out of it very well this year in the Guineas, so he should be able to handle it.

"There are no hiding places at Epsom, that's why it's designed (that way) and why the race is run there, so if he can't handle it he shouldn't be winning the Derby."

Aidan O'Brien, Mogul, Russian Emperor, Vatican City, Mythical, Serpentine, Amhran Na Bhfiann

"Mogul has improved a lot, we think, but we still think he'll improve more. He's gone the right way since Ascot which we thought and hoped he would. We're very happy with what he's doing, but we still think there's more to come. We always thought he'd get a mile and a half. I wouldn't say it has been difficult (preparing him), more not ideal, but that doesn't mean it won't work. We gave him the toughest task because we knew we were only getting one run into him.

"Russian Emperor came out of Ascot well and Ryan was happy with him. He's never gone further than 10 furlongs, but he's very well and everything has been good with him since. He has managed three runs and is out of a great mare, by Galileo, so he could be a very exciting horse - there's every chance over the trip he could improve again.

"Vatican City was just ready to run (in the Irish Guineas, when second). He was really ready for a conditions race, so he just made it. He's been in good form since and we think he's gone the right way, but whether he'll get the trip, we don't know. It was only a mile at the Curragh and he ran through the line, but it was a slowly-run Guineas.

"Mythical has improved a lot for the Curragh, where it didn't really work for him. We think you'll see a different horse at Epsom - he's a good traveller, a classy horse. He's another one we're looking forward to seeing what he can do.

"Serpentine ran in a maiden first time out this year and he got caught in a pocket and couldn't get out. He's a horse that stays very well. Wayne (Lordan) rode him at the Curragh, he got a good break so just let him roll along and he ran straight through the line, he wasn't stopping. It's going to be interesting watching him over a mile and a half - he's a seriously well-bred Galileo.

"Amhran Na Bhfiann is a lovely, big horse who we always thought would get the trip well. He's had one run this year in a race which worked out incredibly well. The winner (Tiger Moth) was second in the Irish Derby, the second (Dawn Patrol) was third in the Irish Derby and the third was fourth, so it was a seriously strong maiden. We were always going to get one run into him and then come here, so he's another it will be interesting to see."

William Muir, Pyledriver

"We could not have been happier with Pyledriver at Ascot and he has come out of the race really well. I said from Ascot that he had to come right back to his best at home (if he is to run at Epsom). That includes putting weight on and he has done that.

"We thought Pyledriver was a good horse at the beginning of the year, although because of the season and how it has turned out, we are able to have a Derby runner, something which might not have happened in an ordinary year because he would had to have been supplemented.

"There are one or two very strong horses in the Derby, but he has not done anything wrong. His time was good at Royal Ascot and he has come out of the race well. Everybody is excited, and we are really looking forward to it."

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