Epsom Derby Guide 2022

Being beaten on deep ground at Sandown on debut was quickly left behind by Hoo Ya Mal when the Territories colt scored a high class maiden at York.

Just unable to make the move up to listed company off the back of that, he went down narrowly to Noble Truth in a tight finish.

His return to racing as a 3 year old saw him come back in the Craven Stakes but he couldn’t live with Native Trial’s pace, running on in a never neared 3rd place.

Last seen moving up in trip to 10 furlongs, Nations Pride easily swept him aside in a listed race at Newmarket. Again Hoo Ya Mal looking outpaced.

The trip will suit but the quality might not be there to land a blow.

A very successful 2 year old, Masekela scored on his debut over 6 furlongs and pushed Native Trail all the way in the Superlative Stakes to only go down by a head to the Irish 2000 Guineas winner.

Scoring at listed level off the back of that he failed to stay a mile on his last outing of the season in group 2 company.

Returning to action this season in listed company, he was sent off favourite over 9 furlongs but looked seriously outpaced over the trip. Eventually running on into 2nd.

Going up in trip will suit and he showed some smart form last season. A potential surprise package.

Unfortunately drawn in stall 1, Royal Patronage looks to have his fate sealed before setting off in this race.

A very impressive 2 year old, the Wootton Bassett colt scored at group 3 and group 2 level last season over 7 furlongs and a mile, looking a real hot prospect for the 2000 Guineas.

Running a fine enough race at the start of the season in the 2000 Guineas, he set a stiff pace but became outpaced late on and faded into 8th.

Upped in trip to contest the Dante Stakes last time out, he shaped better but couldn’t get near Desert Crown. He shaped like the trip is achievable here but it’s doubtful he can reverse form with Desert Crown.

Only successful once so far in his career, Sonny Liston scored on debut as a 2 year old in his only outing as a juvenile. Winning over 7 furlongs in a novice race easily.

Lining up as a 3 year old over 9 furlongs in a listed race, he gradually weakened out of proceedings to finish 4th of 6 runners.

Upped in trip for the Dee Stakes at Chester last time out, he stayed on well but was well held behind Star Of India.

Going further looks like a positive but quality appears to be lacking.

Donnacha O’Brien sends over Pix Badile off the back of a group 3 win over at Leopardstown back in April.

The son of Ulysses won his maiden last summer over a mile and just failed to step up into group 3 company over 9 furlongs at the end of the season. Finishing a decent 2nd.

He’s only been seen once as a 3 year old when scoring last time out and showing some real tenacity to get back at Buckaroo having been headed within the last furlong.

Showing some strong stamina to get back up. This looks like a big step up for him here.

In what is looking like the first string for Aidan O’Brien, Stone Age only recently broke his maiden at the 5th attempt.

He was only narrowly denied in a maiden as a 2 year old and immediately went up in class off the back of that. Going close in a group 2 over a mile and again going close over 10 furlongs in group 1 company.

His maiden victory this season was bloodless and he was equally impressive when winning over 10 furlongs in a group 3 race at Leopardstown.

With stamina in abundance he looks the biggest threat to the favourite.

Unable to score a victory as a 2 year old, Changingoftheguard got off the mark on his first run in his 3 year old campaign for Aidan O’Brien.

Returning over 10 furlongs he scored emphatically at Dundalk on the all weather. Aimed higher for his most recent run saw him contest the Chester Vase last month where he made every yard to beat hot favourite New London with ease.

He looks to have bags of stamina and is still improving. One to keep onside as a solid each way angle.

Drawn in one of the worst stalls in the Derby, Westover will be coming out of stall 2 for Ralph Beckett here.

Three runs as a juvenile saw him capture a maiden event and run well in higher grades subsequently. Coming 2nd in a conditions race over a mile and a narrow 2nd in a listed race to round out his first season.

Coming back as a 3 year old saw him score in a group 3 Derby Trial at Sandown over 10 furlongs and narrowly seeing off the challenge of Cash.

Going further looks like it’ll suit this son of Frankel but his form lacks substance to give him a serious chance.

Being unable to win as a 2 year old, Glory Daze was seen three times last season but was sent off at relatively big odds for all his outings and found himself beaten each time.

Scoring in a maiden at the Curragh over 10 furlongs on his first run of this season, he looked much smarter with another year under his belt and acquitted himself well at group 3 company when coming 2nd to Stone Age at Leopardstown last time out.

He couldn’t live with that rival however and looks to have a mountain to climb to get on his terms.

Despite being beaten on his debut over 7 furlongs, Nations Pride has since been on a tear and won his next four starts.

Scoring in a novice as a 2 year old over a mile, he then easily won a class 2 conditions race over 10 furlongs at the end of the season.

Coming back to racing as a 3 year old at Meydan saw him demolish a decent field over 10 furlongs.

Returning to England for his next outing, he looked an absolute superstar when winning a listed race at Newmarket over 10 furlongs again.

Going further will likely draw out yet more improvement and he’s not bagged a bad draw in stall 5.

Only seen twice as a 2 year old for Charlie Appleby, Walk Of Stars took two attempts to get off the mark but did so stylishly when winning on soft ground at Nottingham over a mile.

A winner of a small field conditions race on his first outing of this campaign teed him up nicely for a run in listed company at Lingfield in a Derby trial only to be beaten into 2nd when clear favourite. Strangely ducking to his right late on and edging right all through the closing stages.

He might not have the class for this and the camber of Epsom could give him all sorts of problems.

Another for Aidan O’Brien who lines up here off the back of a win.

Taking to racing late in the year as a 2 year old saw him claim a maiden over 7 furlongs easily enough but he wasn’t seen again during his juvenile campaign.

Returning this season in the Craven Stakes saw him well beaten over a mile in group 3 company by Native Trail but moving up in trip brought out some improvement at Chester.

Scoring a listed event over 10 furlongs when Ryan Moore was in red hot form, Star Of India looked to have plenty of stamina and the son of Galileo looks to have more scope for a longer trip in him.

Remains to be seen if he has the class however.

Sir Michael Stoute’s charge leads the betting for the Derby off the back of two lethal displays.

Winning a maiden over a mile last year over a mile with ease, he returned to racing this season in the Dante Stakes and blew the field away with ease.

He might lack a bit of experience but he’s won both of his starts with bundles in hand. A draw of 12 isn’t a negative and he’s proven himself on a variety of underfoot conditions.

A rating of 117 has him as the best in the field but he has to break a streak of losing favourites in the derby.

An unbeaten colt for Simon and Ed Crisford, West Wind Blows has scored in a couple of low grade events in his career.

Winning a novice over 10 furlongs at the end of last year, he backed that up stylishly in May when scoring over 10 furlongs again at Nottingham to defy his penalty with ease.

This is a major step up in grade and it’s hard to assess just how good he might be.

A single outing as a 2 year old gave Grand Alliance some experience at the end of last season. It took him a couple more runs to find his feet before breaking his maiden over 10 furlongs at Chelmsford.

Easily scoring in handicap company off the back of that off of a rating of 81, he took a major step up in grade last time out to be a narrow 2nd to Nahanni in the Derby trial here at Epsom back in April.

The form of the Derby trial doesn’t look particularly deep and he’ll need to improve again to have a say here.

Nahanni only made his debut as a 3 year old back in January when running in a novice over 12 furlongs on the all weather.

Beaten into 2nd he built upon that experience to score over the same track and trip next time out well.

Switched to turf in April, he defied his penalty in style to absolutely bolt up at Leicester in a low grade event.

With his sights aimed higher last time out, he nailed an impressive course win here at Epsom when winning a Derby Trial.

Despite the trip looking too short he stayed on well to assert late on.

Going back up in trip and he handles the course but he’s got some serious improvement to find from listed level to be involved here.

Only seen once in his career, El Habeeb finished a distant 5th in a listed race at Newmarket over 10 furlongs last month.
Sent off at 125/1, he outran those odds but looked green in running.

This is a major step up and he’s not shown anything to suggest he could have any sort of chance here.