Horse Racing tips: Our top pundits’ Cheat Sheet for Derby Day at Epsom

MR BIG STUFF has Tyler Heard aboard who takes off a useful 5lb. My hope ran pretty well at Newbury last time and off a racing weight of 8st he should have each-way claims at the very least despite a nasty draw.

MR BIG STUFF didn’t get the clearest of runs at Newbury on his last start and that has prevented him taking a hike in the handicap. He can take advantage now. 

I was taken with his performance at Sandown with cheek pieces on, if they continue to work I think War Horse is the value in this.

Approachability is well entered up at the Royal meeting but to stand any chance of taking up that engagement, he needs to win with authority. 

Connections have won this before with Droichead and Le Don de Vie, and their Swilcan Bridge can score from out of the handicap at a track he handles well.

BASHKIROVA should be better suited by the trip and the ground conditions than when beaten by Mrs Fitzherbert last time. I expect her to be too good.

POTAPOVA is the most likely winner of the Cheveley Park-owned runners, to me. She flew home at Kempton on her last start and just failed to catch Roman Mist in an eye-catching run. 

There was no disgrace in Technique getting chinned at Nottingham as it was a decent contest and should come forward from that run.

There is no reason why Mrs Fitzherbert should be a bigger price than Bashkirova who she beat at Goodwood last time and has every chance of improving again. 

Statement missed the break when favourite for this last year, and she has joined a shrewd new yard. Best fresh, she can spring a shock if getting off on terms.

Modern News is the one to beat but I’ll risk MEGALLAN who was rubbish at Chester last time. The former Dante runner-up has some class and has run well at this track before.

I’m going to go against Modern News with MUTASAABEQ. I thought he came home really well at Sandown last time.

Modern News can complete the hat-trick to have us all wondering how he ever got beaten in the Lincoln Handicap at the start of the season.

Megallan ran no race whatsoever last time at Chester but even Paddy has a bad day at the office now and again and so we will give him & Frankie Dettori another chance. 

Modern News will be hard to beat, and you can boost your returns by including the underrated Finest Sound in a forecast.

The chances are LIVE IN THE DREAM is a little too high in the handicap after brilliant wins at Sandown and Chester. He’s up 7lb for that last success but Sean Kirrane takes off 3lb which helps.

I’m going to go for two here as it’s a 20-runner sprint handicap. STONE OF DESTINY was unlucky last year as he got caught in traffic from 3f before he came flying home but the draw hasn’t been kind. KING OF STARS had a nice comeback run at Haydock and is drawn in 20. He’s very fast and will blitz down the track under the stand rail.

Mokaatil who won this race last year. He is a little higher in the weights but conditional jockey Harry Davies takes 5lb off and won on him in April over course and distance.

King of Stars was given a perfect prep run seven days ago at Haydock showing blistering speed before getting tired late on. This has obviously been the target for his excellent handler Michael Appleby.

A low draw is usually the way to go in the 5f Epsom ‘Dash’ with those drawn 1 or 2, winning four times in the last decade. Justanotherbottle is taken to blaze his way up the centre of the track. 

My two against the field in the Epsom Derby are  STONE AGE and WESTOVER (each-way) at differing prices. The ground is perfect for the former and he should stay the trip strongly. He could slip the field if getting to the front early. Westover at a much bigger price is capable of hitting the frame.

This is a guesser’s race. I was half thinking of coming down on the side of Changingoftheguard but I’ll go with STONE AGE as he went to the line well at Leopardstown. I’m a Derby fan and would gladly watch this for the spectacle alone. 

The Epsom Derby is the ultimate test of the racehorse and Stone Age with his experience gets the nod from me to give Ballydoyle another Derby winner.

WALK OF STARS could be peaking at the right time and is one of three runners for Charlie Appleby. He handled the track perfectly on his racecourse gallop a week ago, so there are plenty of positives about him at an each-way price in the 2022 Epsom Derby

Changingoftheguard has the speed to lead these, and the stamina to stay there, so he looks the best each-way shout in an intriguing Derby.