Epsom Derby Betting / Tony Calvin / 03 June 2008 /

Bolger's colt is 5lb ahead of supplemented Casual Conquest

New Approach, Timeform's leading European juvenile of last year, is clear top-rated for the Derby at Epsom on Saturday following the surprise decision to leave the colt in at the 5-day declaration stage.

He earned his career-high rating when narrowly denied by Henrythenavigator in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on his first run of this year, that performance worthy of a (weight-adjusted for Derby) rating of 139.

The Halifax organization do, though, sound a note of caution regards New Approach's Epsom chances, reporting on his subsequent Curragh second, that "his stamina is not guaranteed at the Derby trip, despite encouragement from his pedigree, as his free-going racing style does not lend itself well to such a distance."

Dermot Weld's twice-raced Casual Conquest heads the remainder of the field on ratings, having won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial in emphatic style on his second start.

Timeform spokesman Kieran Packman commented: "Obviously, there are doubts about New Approach seeing out the trip at Epsom, but, in ratings terms, he's definitely the one to beat if he can reproduce the level of form he showed in his Dewhurst win and his English Guineas second.

"Casual Conquest's Derrinstown win is the stand-out piece of form amongst the rest of the field and, given that he's had just two starts, he's hard to find fault with".

Timeform Derby Ratings

Alan Devonshire 115

Alessandro Volta 125p

Bashkirov 100

Bouguereau 123

Bronze Cannon 128p

Casual Conquest 134p

Curtain Call 130p

Doctor Fremantle 128p

Frozen Fire 132p

Kandahar Run 120p

King of Rome 122

Maidstone Mixture 86

New Approach 139

Rio de La Plata 134

River Proud 130

Tajaaweed 128p

Tartan Bearer 133p

Washington Irving 120p

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