Epsom Derby Guide

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Seamie Heffernan

The first horse of the Epsom Derby and first of seven for Aidan O'Brien is the Lingfield trial winner on his seasonal return and Anthony Van Dyck holds a huge chance in this Classic contest.

As a juvenile he landed Group 2 and 3 races and then finished a good second behind Godolphin's superstar two year old Quorto in a Group 1 at the Curragh.

He ended his season with a run in England in the Group 1 Dewhurst finishing third behind Too Darn Hot who was special as a two year old, he also went over to America at the Breeders Cup meeting but that run can have a line put through it.

Back as a three year old and he has looked to have matured into his coat and looks a much better animal and this was proved on his seasonal return at Lingfield.

In the Derby Trial stakes over just under 1 mile 4f he went on to beat 10 capable runners and throw his hat into the Derby mix. He looks a nice price and will only come on for that run with stamina looking no issue.

Trainer - Andrew Balding

Jockey - Sylvestre De Sousa

One of the leading British contenders in the Group 1 Epsom Derby is Andrew Balding's Bangkok for King Power Racing and what a story it would be after ex owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha sadly passed away last year.

Bangkok is a three year old colt who is unbeaten this season and looks a serious contender if handling the step up in trip going over 1 mile 4f.

He started his season in a 17 runner maiden at Doncaster where he landed the contest nicely he then backed that up at Sandown in the Classic Trial where he beat some nice horses and he has to be considered at an each way price.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Donnacha O'Brien

Next up for the Ballydoyle camp is Broome and for the trainer his son gets the leg up on the unbeaten three year old this season who has to be under serious consideration in this race.

This season the highly rated three year old out of Group 1 winning Australia has been stepped up in trip and targeted at the Derby from the outset.Since the step up in distance he has felt at home with it, landing both contests in good style.

His seasonal return came at Leopardstown in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes on soft ground and he was a gritty winner that day.

His next run of the season again came at the Irish track where in the 1 mile 2 furlong Derby Trial he gave a smart performance at odds on and became another of O'Brien's team to be high up in the betting market for the Classic at Epsom.

He has won two Group races this season and that is nice form heading into this race, the only negative is that he has never been over 1 mile 4f and that might just be too far, but from what his trainer has said he will get the trip.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Frankie Dettori

You can't discount any Aidan O'Brien horses in any race regardless of the price with him landing the Derby back in 2017 with 40/1 outsider Wings Of Eagles.

Circus Maximus has been a hit and miss horse as a two year old winning one of his four runs as a two year old but his loses coming in tough races behind the best juveniles of last season.

He started his three year old campaign off in great style at Chester in May landing the Listed Dee Stakes over 1 mile 2f which looks nice preparation for the Derby and is not without a chance of placing but going on to win does look a stretch.

Frankie Dettori picks up the ride which makes for interesting reading.

Trainer - John Ryan

Jockey - Brett Doyle

The big priced outsider at 250/1 at some places looks to have it all to do only running three times in his career, once as a two year old finihsing a week seventh at Newmarket over 1 mile 2f.

He has raced twice this season making a lovely debut on the all weather at Southwell over 1 mile 4f where he went on to win a Class 5 in good style.

Next time out was a lot different finishing eighth out of 10 runners in the Derby Trial at Lingfield, finishing 10 lengths behind winner Anthony Van Dyck and on that evidence he would need a miracle to get involved.

Trainer - John Goden

Jockey - Rob Havlin

Another outsider of the field and John Gosden's only runner of the race is Humanitarian who has a nice record heading into this race but is stepping in Class by a huge amount.

The three year old made her debut at Newmarket last year finishing second in a 18 runner maiden, after that he has go on to win two novice events.

He is an unknown entity at Group 1 level and it would take one of the training performances of the century to see him win and this race may have come to soon in his career.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Wayne Lordan

The very expensive Japan who was bought by Coolmore for 1,300,000 Guineas is next up for the O'Brien team and he looks as if he will rise to the occasion especially if the ground stays this quick.

This son of Galileo holds a hell of a lot of potential and is very lightly raced meaning there could be so much to come from the three year old and for the money paid for this colt you would hope there is.

He raced three time as a juvenile finishing seventh on his debut but then getting hold of things in his next two landing them in good style, with his final outing of the season seeing him land the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at Naas.

He started his highly anticipated three year old season in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York and was beaten quite easily finishing a mid-field fourth, a fair way behind the leaders.

This can be put down to it being his first run and he will improve for his first start but on this evidence he looks slightly up against it still and will need to come on to be involved.

Can't be completely ruled out of the contest.

Trainer - Charlie Appleby

Jockey - James Doyle

The only Godolphin runner in the 13 runner field is a horse that needs to fins the form from his juvenile days to get back amongst the runners in this race after being disappointing on his seasonal return.

He landed three races out of five as a two year old with his best win coming in the Group 1 over in America at Churchill Downs in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf which was his highlight of the season.

His seasonal return in the Dante was thoroughly disappointing finishing second last and he will swiftly need to put that to the side to go close in this one.

Trainer - Kevin Predergrast

Jockey - Chris Hayes

This Irish raider is a very exciting runner who is stacked in the middle of the market at the moment with the bookmakers slightly fearful that this three year old could be really special.

As a two year old he was unbeaten showing plenty of ability and speed over 1 mile and this season started off at Leopardstown on soft and finished second showing that he wants the ground quick.

He got that on his Group 1 debut in the 2000 Guineas and finished a staying on second and was certainly one of the horses to take out of the race.

The mile and half may just be to far but this colt is very likeable and could be an each way shout.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Jamie Spencer

The next runner from the Ballydoyle contingent is Norway who is yet again a son of Galileo who we believe holds a huge amount of potential and even at a price of 50/1 would not shy us away of putting him up as an each way selection.

As a juvenile his two best performances came when winning a decent maiden at Naas and then backing that up at Newmarket in a Listed event.

On his first start this season and run that can be looked at as just getting it out the way to get him fitter was when finishing quite a way back behind Sir Dragonet in the Chester Vase.

Norway is very much entitled to come on for that run and with the ground being soft that day it really didn't play to his strengths. If he gets good ground the three year old can't be discounted.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Ryan Moore

The favourite for the whole race and this three year old colt looks to be the pick of the bunch from just his two runs so far this season going on to score nicely in both events, dominating the fields.

He started his career off in April over 1 mile 4 furlongs at Tipperary and with other O'Brien runners in the field he was 14/1 on debut but ran more like an odds on favourite, bolting up on soft ground.

His second race was much more of an eye opener, again on soft ground and if the conditions on Derby day were not wet that would be the only negative for the colt as he has not been seen on quicker ground.

However, the three year old son of Camelot lined up in the Group 3 Chester Vase at the May Boodles festival and again not being favourite and going off at 13/2, he hosed up to land the spoils and solidify his status at the top of the Derby market.

He currently looks to have every aspect of a Derby winner and will be tough to beat.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Padraig Beggy

The big outsider and last of the Aidan O'Brien runners is Sovereign and knowing what this trainer is like you really can't rule out the three year old running a big race.

He has only finished outside of the top three on one occasion in his career running to a goo standard in the other four winning one of them.

He might be used to set the pace for some of the other Ballydoyle runners but has a jockey who won on Wings Of eagles at 40/1 back in 2017 and could just do it again at a horse that is very much overpriced in our eyes at 100/1.

Trainer - Hughie Morrison

Jockey - Oisin Murphy

The final runner in the 2019 Epsom Derby is the high class and leading British chance in the race with Telecaster for trainer Hughie Morrison.

This unexposed three year old only started his career this season and has been exceptionally progressive finishing on his debut behind British rival Bangkok but from there has been unbeaten in his last two runs.

He went to Windsor next where he hacked up by eight lengths in a Class 5 but then stepped up another level completely winning the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York to make him a serious contender in this one.

He is stepping up in trip again but from his last run it looks like it will suit and although having a tricky draw in stall 2 he is a very progressive and improving horse that holds a very strong chance.