After a thrilling opening day at Epsom, we’re back for Derby Day – and our top team of tipsters are back with their best bets for Saturday’s action.
Matt Chapman, Ruby Walsh, Mick Fitzgerald, Jason Weaver and XXX have been studying the form, crunching the numbers and generally waffling away for the ITV tellybox races on one of the biggest days in the Flat racing calendar.
Woof!
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The action gets underway at 2pm with the Cazoo Handicap as we hurtle towards the feature race, the Cazoo Epsom Derby at 4:30pm where racing immortality awaits and some burning questions will finally get answered.
Will Desert Crown roll back the years and give Sir Michael Stoute his first Epsom Derby winner since Workforce in 2010? Is Aidan O’Brien on track to record his ninth Derby winner from his three declared runners? Will anyone talk to Matt Chapman after the race?
For this and some top tips for Epsom Derby Day just scroll down to our pundits’ selections below and get the party started.
Matt Chapman
Ruby Walsh
Mick Fitzgerald
Jason Weaver
Rory Delargy
Matt Chapman
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.
Ruby Walsh
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.
Mick Fitzgerald
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.
Jason Weaver
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.
Rory Delargy
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.
Matt Chapman
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.
Ruby Walsh
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.
Mick Fitzgerald
There was no disgrace in Technique getting chinned at Nottingham as it was a decent contest and should come forward from that run.
Jason Weaver
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.
Rory Delargy
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.
Matt Chapman
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.
Ruby Walsh
I’m going to go against Modern News with MUTASAABEQ. I thought he came home really well at Sandown last time.
Mick Fitzgerald
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.
Jason Weaver
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.
Rory Delargy
Modern News will be hard to beat, and you can boost your returns by including the underrated Finest Sound in a forecast.
Matt Chapman
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.
Ruby Walsh
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.
Mick Fitzgerald
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.
Jason Weaver
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.
Rory Delargy
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.
Matt Chapman
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.
Ruby Walsh
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.
Mick Fitzgerald
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.
Jason Weaver
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
Rory Delargy
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.
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