Epsom Derby trial

six meetings again today, but much stronger cards than yesterday, including decent jumping from Perth with many top trainers from down south making the long trip to Scotland, but the main focus is on the opening of the new season at Epsom with the Derby Trial over 10 furlongs at 16.20 CET as the top feature. Stamina could be a problem here with most of the 5 runners having so far run only over a mile, but the two most likely winners not only have the best form but are also bred to stay this far and have Derby entries. They are Christophermarlowe (John Gosden/ Frankie Dettori), who won both his starts last season, and Future Empire (Saeed bin Suroor/ James Doyle), placed in a group race last time out. However we definitely prefer the former, who looks to have lots of improvement to come and is quoted at 33-1 for the Derby itself. He runs in the Tabor colours but it is in fact half-owned by the trainer´s wife Rachel Hood, Mayor of Newmarket. The race is supported by some hot handicaps, especially the historic City & Suburban over the same trip at 16.55. This looks very open, and the field includes last year´s winner Sennockian Star (Mark Johnston/ William Buick), who however appears to have lost form and we prefer his stable companion Fire Fighting (Joe Fanning), while bottom-weight Collaboration (Andrew Balding/ David Probert) is a clear threat after his easy win in a lower grade at Windsor, and What About Carlo (Eve Johnson Houghton/ Jimmy Fortune) is another one with an obvious chance after a CD win last summer. The Great Metropolitan at 15.45 is another historic title, but this race has lost most of its former glory and is now just anothert 1 1/2 mile handicap, in which we expect CD winner Barwick (Graham Mays/ Jim Crowley), top-weight and irish-trained Maid of the Glens (Pat Shanahan/ Shane Foley) and front-runner Stetchworth (Johnston/ Fanning) to get involved. The card opens with another very tricky handicap, this time over 5 furlongs at 15.10, with several CD specialists in the field. Some of them are certainly being aimed at he Dash on Derby Day and as Smoothtalkingrascal (Peter Crate/ Shane Kelly) has already run well twice in that event we make him a tentative selection here. Frankie also rides the German-bred Gayath for Richatrd Hannon and Al Shaqab racing in the mile maiden at 17.30; this one however needs to improve considerably on his debut performance to have any chance against the useful Mezajy (Ed Walker/ Biuick) while the very well-bred Mr Quicksilver (Balding/ Oisin Murphy) is a very interesting candidate here.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Long Awaited - Secret Missile - Fair Value
2. Race: Stetchworth - Instant Karma - Barwick
3. Race: Christophermarlowe - Future Empire - Dance Of Fire
4. Race: Mount Logan - Fire Fighting - What About Carlo
5. Race: Mezajy - Mile High - Mr Quicksilver
6. Race: New Strategy - American Artist - Lear`s Rock