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Twenty have been confirmed at the five-day stage for Saturday’s 1m4f Group 1 Derby (In Honour of His Highness Aga Khan IV), including two supplementary entries from France.
Godolphin's Ruling Court, winner of the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, will be attempting to be the first horse to complete the Guineas/Derby double since Camelot in 2000. Out of a High Chapparal mare, there are few concerns regarding stamina for the son of Justify, who will be stepping up beyond a mile for the first time.
He will face strong opposition from fellow racing powerhouse Ballydoyle, who field four runners, including the current favourite Delacroix. Unbeaten in two starts as a three-year-old, the Dubawi colt has relished the increase to middle distances, winning both the ten furlong Group 3 Ballysax Stakes and the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes, in comfortable fashion. He will be joined by The Lion In Winter, who was subject to a notable drift in the betting over the weekend. Winner of his first two starts as a juvenile, the colt missed an intended target in the 2000 Guineas and was disappointing on his seasonal reappearance in the 1m2f Group 2 Dante Stakes.
The form of the traditional York trial, the Dante Stakes, is represented by the one-two of Pride Of Arras and Damysus. Ralph Beckett's Pride Of Arras is the least exposed horse in the field with only two runs to his name – taking a considerable step up from a Sandown maiden debut success when a surprise victor in the Dante. The John and Thady Gosden-trained Damysus has demonstrated promise with placings in the Group 3 Classic Trial at Sandown and the Dante, and the colt appeared to enjoy the undulations of Epsom when taking part in the traditional Jockey Club-run gallops morning.
France will have two representatives – with both Francis-Henri Graffard's Midak and Henri-Francois Devin's New Ground supplemented for the race. The Aga Khan Studs-owned Midak is unbeaten in three outings to date, culminating in a Group 3 Prix Greffulhe victory at Saint-Cloud on his latest run. Whilst New Ground has been beaten on his two runs as a three-year-old, the form of his second behind Cualificar in the Group 3 Prix La Force was given a boost over the weekend with the Godolphin colt placing in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club.
