There is a bumper day of racing action on Saturday, highlighted by the Derby at Epsom.
There is something for everyone on the racing calendar this Saturday, with nine meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland.
Without doubt the central attraction is at Epsom for Derby Day, but Flat racing also goes ahead at Chepstow, Doncaster, Lingfield, Navan and Musselburgh, while jumps enthusiasts have Hexham, Worcester and Punchestown to go at, too.
Saturday’s tips
15:30 Epsom – Ruling Court @ 7/2
13:00 Epsom – Skellet @ 9/2
18:15 Doncaster – Way Of Stars SP
15:30 Epsom – Ruling Court
No clear favourite in the lead up to the sport’s premier classic has led to the largest Derby field for over 20 years with 19 runners set to line up at Epsom.
Aidan O’Brien bagged a record 10th Derby victory when City Of Troy triumphed in 2024 but things have not gone to plan for his long-time market leader, The Lion In Winter, in the build up to this year’s renewal..
And after much to-ing and fro-ing, stable jockey Ryan Moore opted for Delacroix over last year’s impressive Acomb winner, who met with defeat on his belated return back at York in last month’s Dante.
Delacroix, unbeaten in the Ballysax and Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial at Leopardstown this season, has enjoyed a trouble-free build-up and holds very solid claims, but a high draw of 14 is not ideal and it shouldn’t be forgotten that this son of Dubawi (a non-stayer himself in the Derby) still has to prove his stamina for this two-furlong longer trip.
Ruling Court enjoyed much better fortune when the draw was made on Wednesday and from an ideal middle berth of 7, Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas victor looks the way to go.
He also has to prove he can show his form over a mile and a half but there are good grounds for thinking he will become the first horse to win the first two colt’s classics of the season since Camelot in 2012.
Firstly, his sire Justify, an unbeaten US Triple Crown scorer, enjoyed his finest hour when making all in the Belmont Stakes over this trip and he also sired last year’s Derby victor City Of Troy.
And on the dam’s side there are reasons to be optimistic given his dam’s sire, High Chaparral, also landed the Epsom showpiece and has transmitted his stamina at stud subsequently.
And let’s also not forget Ruling Court’s defeat of Field Of Gold in the 2000 Guineas is head and shoulders the best form on offer.
In a field of 19 there are several others who can potentially go very well and Ralph Beckett’s unbeaten Dante winner Pride Of Arras is chief among them.
Should the weather turn, though, and stamina becomes even more of an asset, then the John and Thady Gosden improving Frankel colt Nightwalker and O’Brien’s Chester Vase victor Lambourn could really come to the fore, too.
13:00 Epsom – Skellet
Events get underway at Epsom with the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes for fillies and mares over 8.5f and it promises to be a competitive event with James Tate’s Royal Dress, an unlucky-in-running third 12 months ago, sure to be a popular choice.
Sole 3yo Bermuda Longtail is another to catch the eye but Ralph Beckett’s Skellet appeals most and can make a successful reappearance.
Beckett clearly though a lot of this well-bred Kingman filly after a promising juvenile campaign as she reappeared in the Iirsh 1000 Guineas before taking her chance in Royal Ascot’s Coronation Stakes.
Those Group 1 events proved too much but she capitalised on a fall in grade when ending 2024 with an impressive success in a Sandown listed event when clawing back the eventual second having conceded first run.
Skellet now starts her third season still quite unexposed and her strong-travelling running style suggests she has a fair bit more to offer.
She has also shown she can handle underfoot conditions so should not be troubled should the rains come as has been suggested in some quarters.
18:15 Doncaster – Way Of Stars
Doncaster is one of four evening meetings and it could be worth watching the Class 2 1m6f handicap for three-year-olds as it features some potentially improving sorts.
Chief among them is Andrew Balding’s Way Of Stars and this really progressive type is fancied to open his account after catching the eye on both his starts this season.
His most recent outing came when he was runner-up at Chester last month when set plenty to do, but he still found only the handily-weighted Lady Vivian too good.
Balding, who also captured this prize in 2024, is enjoying a fine season and this son of Sea The Moon looks well ahead of his current official handicap mark of 84.
As would be expected in a race of this type, there are others who look to have better days ahead of them, too, but none can match the credentials of the selection.
