Who To Follow At Epsom On Saturday - 03/06/23

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Epsom - June 02 2023
Epsom 12:30
8(9)
William Buick

Military Order

J: William Buick
T: Charlie Appleby
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 111
Days: 21

The feature race of the afternoon and arguably the season is the Group One Epsom Derby over 1m4f and with a special field going to post we have picked out a win and each way selection.

The win pick is the Charlie Appleby trained Military Order who has done nothing wrong this season and having proved he stays the trip he is our stand out selection.

Seen four times to date, the full brother to Derby winner Adayar who won this event in 2021, Military Order was fourth of 10 on debut at Newmarket learning plenty for the experience.

Stepped up to a mile for his second event as a juvenile he got off the mark in good style beating stable mate Ancient Rules by just under a length.

Stepped up again in trip for his seasonal debut this term over 1m2f at Newbury, he looked a class apart when bolting up by four lengths under a penalty.

He went up again to 1m4f when last seen at Lingfield in the Listed Derby Trial and from his pedigree the trip was always going to suit and the further he went the better he became winning stylishly in the end to take the race.

We have not hit the ceiling with this horse yet and he has plenty going for him to take this Classic.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
03/06/23EPS12GF9-214
13/05/23LIN12St9-21
21/04/23NBY10Sft9-81
19/10/22NMK8Gd9-71
01/10/22NMK7GS9-74

Trainer To Follow - Charlie Appleby

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby only sends two runners to Epsom on Saturday but that might be enough with both of them holding extremely solid chances.

The first comes in the opener with Highland Avenue looking to build on his third at Newmarket last time out and that sets the form standard.

His second and final runner is Military Order in the Epsom Derby with the brother to 2021 winner Adayar not putting a foot wrong this season and he looks one of the more likelier winners of the race.

Jockey To Follow - Frankie Dettori

Bowing out in his final ever Epsom Derby Frankie Dettori could be the man to follow tomorrow with just two rides across the afternoon in two of the three Group races.

The first comes in the Group One Epsom Derby on board the John & Thady Gosden trained Arrest who showed last time he will stay the trip but not like the ground as quick as it is.

Is other ride on Saturday comes in the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes over 8.5f and the favourite Prosperous Voyage for Ralph Beckett should be the class act in the field.

Frankie heads into the Derby meeting sporting a strike rate of 25% for the last two weeks, managing to land five winners from his last 20 rides.