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Key events
Diomed Stakes (2.35pm)
And off they go … Royal Scotsman takes the lead and walks at a brisk pace … Regal Reality is behind … Royal Scotsman kicks clear … can he hold on? Yes he can! Easy winner!!
Engine in market for race from 14:35
Highland Avenue 6/1 at 7/2
Greg Wood
Diomed Stakes preview
Overall, it’s not one of the best Group Three events of the season, and the fact that last year’s 1-2 – now nine-year-old Royal Reality and a six-year-old Highland Avenue – are back for another leg tells a tale of the latest renewal, but at least has an interesting new opponent in Roger Varian Embesto. He was a bit of a disappointment on his season debut at Newmarket last month but remains full of potential after just half a dozen starts and races in a lid first time here. It may turn out to be his creation, but for now I’ll take the proven course form Highland Avenue to prevail.
CHOICE: HIGHLAND AVENUE
Betting on the Diomed Stakes (2.35pm).
Princess Elizabeth Stakes (2pm) result
1 Bridge (Jason Hart) 5-1
2 Chic Colombina (W Buick) 11-4
3 Royal dress (BM Cohen) 14-1
8 was running
Also: 13-8 Fav Running Lion, 66-1 Julia Augusta 4th
Not participating: 7
Princess Elizabeth Stakes (2pm)
And off they go…Julia Augusta leads in the early stages…the speed is pretty slow this time…Astral Beau is second and Running Lion is third…the favorite made a daring run up the rail but there was no finisher hit… it’s a cluster finish and they’re all over the place but Bridge hangs on. What a mess of a race.
Princess Elizabeth Stakes (2pm) Bet
Elections are coming up and MP Priti Patel is in the Derby – if she loses them Vitam constituency (majority 24,000) on the 4th of July the Conservative Party will be gone!
Greg Wood
Princess Elizabeth Stakes (2pm) preview
It has to be said that the Derby undercard is somewhat… well, unimpressive when compared to many other major race days, both here and around the world. However, this group three is a fair race of its kind and features a favorite in the Running lion who has shown occasional flashes of potential Group One-winning form at various points in her career. However, her strike rate doesn’t seem to be quite what it should be – she’s winless in five starts since May 2023 – and personally I’d like to see a bit more before stepping in to back her at about 2-1. Instead, I’ll go with her at odds of 12-1 on David Loughnane Sparks flewa prolific handicapper last year with potential for further progress at four and not much to be found with the ratings favourite, although it has to be said that the drying up of the field is not necessarily ideal.
CHOICE: SPARKS FLY
Engine on the market for the race from 14:00…
Astral Beau 9-1 in 7–1
Lester Piggott Handicap (1.25pm) score
1 A peach (SM Levey) 9-2
2 Portsmouth (Oisin Murphy) 5-2 Favourite
3 Redhot Whisper (Jack Gilligan) 28-1
12 was running
Lester Piggott Handicap (13:25)
And off they go…Blake was slowly pulling away and Peaches lead…but it’s a slow pace and the field is packed…Golden West is up there at Tatnam Corner…Portsmouth gets off the rail…but is tackled and Peaches wins…a great front ride from Sean Levy.
Lester Piggott Handicap Betting (1.25pm).
Lester Piggott Handicap (1.25pm) Preview
Greg Wood
A tricky little handicap to start proceedings on Derby Day, named in honor of a rider who knew he rode this unique track better than anyone before or since. Course form is always worth noting at Epsom and Portsmouth is one of only two runners in the field – Golden West is the other – with a previous win at the track after registering a very comfortable victory at the April meeting of 74. He is 9lb higher today after finishing a good second on a heavy surface at Goodwood in early May, but obvious prospects of a return to the winner’s bracket back on a better surface today.
CHOICE: PORTSMOUTH
Here are Oddschecker’s best groomed horses of the day so far … and the city of Troy is among them!
The channel’s Racing TV panel has just declared City Of Troy “definitely not worth backing at 7-2”. This was recorded earlier this week and now the favorite is 11-4 in places! The most famous British Fat race this year revolves around one horse: if City Of Troy returns to his best form from last season he wins, but if he runs as he did in the 2000 Guineas when he flopped so badly, then that’s the end of another chance for Aidan O’Brien’s operation to say they have a real racing great in their backyard. Remember that his owners last year mentioned the colt in the same breath as Frankel.
One of the reasons why City Of Troy failed in the Guineas test at Newmarket was the fact that he overheated at the start. My colleague Greg Wood reported last night that O’Brien had stated that he was I will not take any special measures with the horse, while there is another point to consider BestofBets.com people remind me in a letter that “In addition to a very poor performance in the Guineas, the favorite for today’s Epsom Derby will have to overcome the pull of the “coffin” at stand one.” Tense form did their analysis and concluded that “the data suggest that there is merit to the view that low withdrawal is more of a hindrance than a help.” This is a difficult problem for supporters.
Good day. Get ready for the usual Derby roller coaster ride up and around the famous Epsom Downs. Traditions are part of what makes this event so special and we will start with the annual council at the Amato pub near the track. Be careful, the last few years are not just brimming with winners … including in 2023. This year it’s Guardian Council, Los Angeles!
Preamble
Greg Wood
Good day from Epsom on the first Saturday in June, which can only mean that tens of thousands of racing fans are flocking to the Surrey track for the 245th running of the Derby, the world’s most famous classic.
Exactly how many tens of thousands is hard to say, not least because Hill’s enclosure – which the circuit describes as the “beating heart of the Derby Festival” remains perhaps the best free sports day anywhere on the planet. But paid attendance took a significant hit last year, from 37,274 to 25,413, something that seems slightly lost amid the focus on attempts by animal rights protesters to disrupt the big race.
Jockey Club Racecourses, which also faces major struggles to maintain attendances at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring, will not want to see the numbers at its other major event go in the same direction.
At least there’s no rain in the forecast at Epsom today, which may encourage some walking, and the big race – due to start at 4.30pm – has some interesting storylines, including a juvenile champion with something to prove in the City Of Troy and a live runner for 91-year-old owner Bill Gradley at Ambiente Friendly.
City Of Troy, who made a shock odds in the 2,000 Guineas last time, looked to be in for a serious challenge at the top of the market yesterday evening but has put some distance between himself and the rest of the betting this morning at around 3-1.
That reflects a lack of market confidence behind his stable companion in Aidan O’Brien’s yard, Los Angeles, who is 13-2, and also a departure from Ancient Wisdom, six lengths second to Economics in the Dante Stakes, out to 6 -1. Ambiente Friendly, the winner of the Lingfield trial, is 15-2, while Macduff, second in the classic trial at Sandown in April, heads the other way, at around 9-1 from 12-1 overnight.
Traffic at Epsom is good to soft, good in places after a dry night and will continue to dry as the day progresses if the forecast holds true. My thoughts on the likely winner are hereand if you haven’t just decided to drop everything and head to Epsom, you can, as always, keep up with all the news and developments leading up to the big race here on the blog.
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