/ Editor / 29 May 2007 /

Ireland's leading handicapper believes Aidan O'Brien's Archipenko has every chance of claiming another Irish victory in the Epsom Derby on Saturday.

Gary O'Connor, the Flat handicapper of the Irish Turf, believes the colt's performance in winning the Derrinstown Stud Trial at Leopardstown in May was every bit as good as previous winners of the race.

"Most of Aidan's Derby horses have been winning abroad so I haven't seen many of his leading contenders first hand this year but Archipenko won the acknowledged Derby Trial here and won it well," he told sportinglife.com.

"That was an impressive seasonal debut and while he beat several stable companions there, I liked the way he won.

"It was a performance up to the standard of some recent winners of the race and as you know a several have gone on from there to win at Epsom, the likes of Sinndar and High Chapparal. Alamshar ran very well in Epsom Classic too - as did Dylan Thomas last year.

"Of the Derby horses to have run in Ireland this year, Archipenko looks the most promising. It's all based on hypothesis but I would have thought he ran to a similar standard as Dylan Thomas did last year at Leopardstown. That colt went on to be beaten in a three-way photo at Epsom.

"Archipenko is right up there in terms of potential and of all Aidan's horses in the Derby, I would be least surprised to see him run very well."

In a market that has recently seen Authorized trade a shade off odds-on at 1.95, Archipenko currently trades as the third favourite on 16.5 for the 1m 4f Classic behind Marcus Tregoning's Aqaleem on 10.

Archipenko can be backed in Betfair's 'Betting without Authorized' market at 8.4.

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