The Derby tips, full field, horse by horse guide, latest odds and 1-2-3
Ruling Court tries to add the £1.5m Epsom Classic to his 2,000 Guineas win and fire up a Triple Crown challenge but faces Delacroix, one of three Aidan O'Brien candidates
Racing's superpowers go head-to-head in another Classic when Godolphin's Ruling Court takes on three Aidan O'Brien-trained challengers for the Coolmore partners in the £1.5 million Betfred Derby on Saturday.
A field of 19 colts, the biggest field since 2003, will tackle the undulations of Epsom racecourse in the battle for Britain's richest race, which will be shown live on ITV at 3.30pm. Aidan O'Brien extended his record of Derby victories to ten 12 months ago when City Of Troy redeemed himself after flopping in the 2,000 Guineas. Delacroix, the mount of Ryan Moore, is his main challenger supported by The Lion In Winter and Lambourn.
However this year he must take on the current 2,000 Guineas champion Ruling Court who represents a resurgent Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby. Ruling Court landed the second leg of an extraordinary weekend of success during which Godolphin horses also won the Kentucky Oaks, Kentucky Derby and 1,000 Guineas.
Best of the rest is Pride Of Arras, who entered the reckoning by winning the Dante Stakes at York, the most prestigious Derby trial, who lines up under Rossa Ryan for the Ralph Beckett stable.
Betfred Derby (Group 1) 1m 4f 6y
3.30pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday 7th June
Betfred Derby: Guide to the runners and latest William Hill odds
Delacroix (3-1) - The winner of Ireland's two Derby trials has almost inherited favouritism by default after long-time Ballydoyle number one The Lion In Winter was defeated in the Dante Stakes. Getting Ryan Moore's vote is a plus but stamina is not guaranteed.
Ruling Court (7-2) - Boasts the best form having won the 2,000 Guineas, from a horse who went on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas in style. By the same sire as last year's winner City Of Troy, Justify, out of a mare by Derby winner High Chaparral, he has solid prospects of making the leap from 1m to 1m4f.
Pride Of Arras (5-1) - Entered the reckoning with an Impressive win in the Dante Stakes on only his second start so there could be a lot more to come, especially over a distance likely to suit.
The Lion In Winter (8-1) - The highly regarded colt was favourite for the Derby after defeating a field including Ruling Court at York last August. He wasn't seen again until May when only sixth in the Dante, raising doubts about his participation. Having had a rushed preparation to get to York, where plenty went wrong, it would be foolish to write him off, despite his wide draw.
Lambourn (10-1) - Is he the stable's second or third string? The Chester Vase winner has the advantage of having already won over the trip, but was second behind Delacroix at Leopardstown in March.
Damysus (12-1) - An important first Derby runner for the emerging Wathnan Racing, owned by the Emir of Qatar. Was picking up the pieces late on when second in the Dante and should give another good account of himself.
Midak (14-1) - Connections paid £75,000 to add the unbeaten Aga Khan Stud-owned colt to the field of a race this year named in honour of the late Aga Khan. On the upgrade but still has more to find.
Stanhope Gardens (16-1) - Intriguing challenger who warmed up for the Derby in a minor event over 1m at Salisbury after missing the trials. The stablemate of Pride Of Arras is rated in a similar bracket at home as the Dante winner.
Nightwalker (25-1) - Another colt doing his best work late on in the Dante in which he finished fifth. Cheekpieces are added but a likely outsider.
Tornado Alert (25-1) - Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor last won the Derby 30 years ago and is a diminished force in the top races yet is keen on the prospects of the 2,000 Guineas fourth who gets the services of Oisin Murphy.
Tennessee Stud (33-1) - Trained by Joseph O'Brien but owned by the Coolmore partners. Finished well behind Delacroix in May so has plenty to find.
New Ground (50-1) - France's second supplementary entry has been exposed in lesser company and difficult to see him taking a hand.
Tuscan Hills (66-1) - Ambitious Amo Racing came close to winning with King Of Steel but Tuscan Hills will need to step forward from his Dante seventh.
Lazy Griff (80-1) - Christophe Soumillon will need to deploy all his skills to lift the Chester Vase runner-up into contention but rain softened ground will at least be to his advantage.
Al Wasl Storm (100-1) - Derby fanatic Ahmad Al Shaikh has had two horses finish second at 50-1 and 150-1 and this year's two runners are also big prices. Plenty to prove having only won a maiden.
Sea Scout (100-1) - The only runner to have already won over the track in April, when he took the Blue Riband Trial, he was well beaten in the Dante.
Nightime Dancer (150-1) - Won over the distance at Southwell but limitations exposed in the Lingfield Derby Trial
Green Storm (200-1) - Ahmad Al Shaikh's second runner is notable as he will be 19-year-old Billy Loughnane's first Derby ride.
Rogue Impact (250-1) - Beaten ten lengths in the Lingfield Derby Trial and a probable social runner for his enthusiastic owners.
VERDICT: With a near maximum field of 19 and lots of big outsiders to get in the way, this could be an eventful Derby likely to feature plenty of hard luck stories. In 2003, when there were 20 runners, Kris Kin beat a line-up in which the 2,000 Guineas winner Refuse To Bend was 13th and Aidan O'Brien's first string, Brian Boru, only 16th. There could be a similar outcome this year and it is worth giving THE LION IN WINTER another chance. He is bound to improve from the Dante, which he went into off a rushed preparation, and jockey Colin Keane is well equipped to navigate his tricky draw. He can turn the tables on Pride Of Arras with Damysus underlining the status of the York race as the Derby's number one trial.
1 The Lion In Winter, 2 Pride Of Arras, 3 Damysus
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8 minutes ago
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