The Master of Ballydoyle, Aidan
O’Brien, has won the Derby six times, including three years in a
row between 2012 and 2014, and once again holds a strong hand in the
Epsom Classic, due off at 4.30pm on Saturday, June 1, 2019.
Sir Dragonet, an unbeaten son of Camelot, was promoted to favourite, at around 7/2, after an impressive 8-length win over stable companion Norway in the Group 3 Chester Vase, over an extended mile-and-a-half on the Roodeye, despite racing green in the early stages, and looks an outstanding contender.
However, he is closely attended in the
antepost betting by the Australia colt Broome, who is more
exposed, both has won both starts this term – the Ballysax Stakes
and the Derrinstown Derby Trial, both over a mile-and-a-quarter at
Leopardstown – with a minimum of fuss. He was only beaten a neck in
the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp last October and,
at 4/1 or thereabouts, looks another with a solid chance.
Last, but by no means least, of the
fancied O’Brien runners comes Anthony Van Dyck, whose is
available at around the 5/1 mark after a straightforward 2¼-length
win over Pablo Escobarr in the Lingfield Derby Trial. As a son of
Galileo, Anthony Van Dyck warrants respect but, having been found
wanting on both starts a Group One level as a juvenile – in the
National Stakes at the Curragh and the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket,
behind impressive winner Too Darn Hot – Sir Dragonet looks the pick
of the trio.
At the time of writing, connections of
Telecaster are yet to decide whether of not to supplement the
son of New Approach for the Derby for £85,000 – that is, more than
the prize money for fourth place – but he wasn’t stopping at the
end of the Dante Stakes, over an extended mile-and-a-quarter at York,
and looks worth the investment. Indeed, he was going away from
Cartier Champion Two-year-old Colt Too Darn Hot in the closing stages
on the Knavesmire, so an extra two furlongs looks with his compass
and, at 7/1 or thereabouts, could be the proverbial
fly-in-the-ointment as far as the O’Brien camp is concerned, if
connections do decide to talk the plunge.
No prizes for originality, I’m afraid
but, while Sir Dragonet may not quite fall into the ‘now is the
time to bet like men’ category, made famous by the late Richard
Baerlain, it was hard not to be impressed by his demolition of the
opposition in the Chester Vase.
Selection: Epsom 4.30 Sir
Dragonet to win
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