Epsom Derby Guide 2021

The three year old son of Galileo was seen three times as a juvenile, finishing third at Newmarket on debut over a mile in a Maiden and backing that up at Leopardstown over the same trip when getting off the mark for the first time in his career.

He was sent to Saint-Cloud for the Group One Criterium and could only finish a close up fifth behind some nice horses, wit the softer ground going against him.

The colt came back for his first race of the season over course and distance at Leopardstown and managed to land the Group Three Ballysax Stakes in good style.

It showed his versatility winning on good ground and having handled soft in the past he put him in good stead for his trip back over C&D in the Derrinstown Derby Trial.

Taking on the likes of Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney and Southern Lights who both head for the Derby, he left the field for dead to win the Group Three event over 1m2f.

It is the the leading performance heading into the Derby and it makes him the rightful favourite.

The son of Frankel has been seen three times this season and has landed a hat-trick of wins having got off the mark for his career at Lingfield in March in a Novice Stakes and he then backed that up in a handicap at Newmarket over 1m2f.

His best performance of the season came last time out when landing the Listed Newmarket Stakes over 1m2f, seeing off the smart Secret Protector by an easy five lengths, never really having to come off the bridle.

Good ground is a huge positive for this horse and he looks one of the safest each way bets from his runs so far this season, but being drawn low in stall 5 might be a slight issue.

Interesting.

The son of New Approach was a smart juvenile topping off last season at Doncaster in the Group One Vertem Futurity Stakes, when taking the event in heavy ground.

He returned as a three year old this term looking set to go for the Derby having ran in the Group Three Derrinstown Derby Trial over 10f at Leopardstown.

However, after finishing a tame fourth behind the impressive Bolshoi Ballet, Bolger decided to revert him back to the mile, with the bad also being put down to a respiratory infection being found after the race.

Mac Swiney back at a mile and on his preferred testing conditions saw him narrowly see off stablemate Poetic Flare to land the Group One Irish 2000 Guineas last time out.

It is said he has come out the race well and is in rude health ahead of his step back up in trip, but he has shown his best on soft/heavy ground and it looks to be the opposite on Saturday.

The son of Frankel was seen once as a juvenile finishing a good fourth in a 10 runner Maiden Stakes at Doncaster on good ground, finishing behind some nice horses that have since gone on to win .

John Leeper also franked the form of that race on seasonal debut this term, being stepped up to 1m2f and landing a nice event at Newcastle by four lengths.

Being closely related to Virgin Snow shows that the step up in trip is where the best of his runs will come over and he backed this up at Newmarket last time out when staying well to land the Listed Fairway Stakes on good ground.

He did everything wrong that day but still managed to get up close home and getting a further 2f with Frankie Dettori in the saddle makes him one to watch.

The Charlie Appleby trained Hurricane Lane is an extremely smart prospect for Godolphin, being seen three times to date and is currently unbeaten.

The three year old son of Frankel made his debut last term at Newmarket in a decent Novice Stakes over a mile on heavy ground and he ran out an easy winner.

Saved for this season, he was stepped up in trip on seasonal debut in a good Conditions Stakes over 10f and again ran out a good winner, doing his best work near the finish.

The form of that race does not look bad with the second since placing in a better event and the fourth placed runner since winning.

He also backed up this form line last time out when landing the Group Two Dante Stakes at York, staying the 10.5 furlongs well.

He saw off smart runners Megallan and High Definition that day and getting an extra 1.5 furlongs on Saturday will be sure to suit.

At 9/1 he looks the value bet in the race for a place and he will be looking to keep his unbeaten record in tact.

The Sea The Stars colt Third Realm has become a big each way player in the betting for the market since winning the Listed Derby Trial at the start of May.

Before that the three year old had only been seen twice, finishing fifth in a good Novice Stakes at Kempton and then on seasonal debut at Nottingham he won a decent Maiden Stakes over 1m2f.

The step up in trip in the Derby Trial brought big improvement out of the horse and having won on both good to firm and soft he looks a very versatile horse.

Each way player.

Southern Lights for Joseph O'Brien is another son of Sea The Stars in the event and at a big price this colt could outrun his odds.

The three year old made his debut last September when finishing a head second in a Naas Maiden over seven furlongs.

Back for this season he was stepped up in trip to 1m2f and got off the mark at the first time of asking at Leopardstown in a decent Maiden.

From there he was sent into the Derrinstown Derby Trial over the same course and distance and although dominated by Bolshoi Ballet did not run a bad race.

Costing €550,000 as a yearling they obviously expect big things from him and he could be one to keep an eye if coming on for the extra distance.

One Ruler is the second of three Charlie Appleby and Godolphin runners in the field and the son of Dubawi has proved he is a very smart prospect.

Having been a smart juvenile winning a classy maiden on his second start and then stepping up to a mile to land the Group Three Autumn Stakes on soft ground.

The colt finished last season finishing a narrow second in the Group One Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes over a mile at Doncaster on heavy ground behind rival Mac Swiney.

This season One Ruler made his seasonal debut in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and was a decent sixth on quick ground.

Stepping up to this trip is a huge unknown but he has a superb pedigree and he looks a very interesting runner.

The son of Camelot started his career off in June last year at Haydock finishing a decent fourth behind the likes of Legion Of Honour and Devious Company.

He then came out and won next time out at Newmarket on soft, seeing off a good field that included six horses that have since gone on to win.

The three year olds final run as a juvenile came at Goodwood in the Group Two Vintage Stakes and he ran a cracker to finish third behind Battleground.

Back for another season last time out he made his seasonal return over 9f at Newmarket in a Listed event finishing fourth behind some smart Godolphin horses.

He was stepped up markedly in trip last time out to see whether he could become a Derby horse and the joy of Andrew Balding he went on to take the Group Three Chester Vase.

Youth Spirit showed how well he stays the 1m4f and being out of Derby winner Camelot he will not be far away.

The son of Frankel has been seen four times to date, finishing fourth on debut in October at Nottingham over 8.5 furlongs when looking to learn a lot for the experience.

He then went back over the same course and distance later that month and got of the mark for the first time in his career, taking the event by an impressive nine lengths.

Saved for this season he made his return in the Group Three Classic Trial at Sandown in April and finished a staying on second behind a nice type for William Haggas.

He was then stepped up in trip for the Listed Derby Trial at Lingfield and finished a fair second behind Third Realm who was better on the day.

The colt will enjoy the dryer conditions to date but looks to have a lot to do off the back of that run, needing to reverse the form with Third Realm and some.

The three year old made his seasonal debut at York over 7f in a decent maiden and dominated the field late one and then backed that run up over the same course and distance when landing the Group Three Acomb Stakes.

Seeking a hat-trick the son of Teofilo went to Newmarket for the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile and was a weak fourth of five.

He put that blip behind him on his final start last term when heading over to France for the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 1m2f and winning the event.

He saw off runners like Makaloun and Bolshoi Ballet that have since gone on to win in good style this season.

Gear Up made his seasosal debut this term in the Group Two Dante Stakes and finished an average fifth of 10 and on that form looks opposable.

Seems to need softish ground.

The final runner of the race is the big 100/1 outsider Mojo Star for Richard Hannon, with the colt being highly inexperienced.

The three year old son of Sea The Stars, was first seen as a juvenile in October when finishing a good second behind Scope in a Maiden at Newbury on heavy ground.

Back this season, the colt was stepped up to 10f at Newbury on better ground and finished a fair second behind Manobo for Charlie Appleby, who has since gone and bolted up in a better event.

Although a smart horse it looks a tough task stepping up to this Group One off the back of what he has shown to date.