There are seven races to cover from Epsom this afternoon, including the eagerly awaited Epsom Derby, and hopefully, I can shed a little light on that and the supporting races for punters to claim some cash.
Epsom is a specialist course, so check out today's Betfair Racing News for all of the horses that have won at this track and the race times.
14:00 Cazoo Handicap
A wide-open contest for punters to kick us off, and unfortunately, the one or two I liked midweek for this contest have not taken up the engagement.
No favourite has won in the last ten years, highlighting how competitive it is. Plenty of these will rate higher than their current handicap marks by the end of the season.
The top of the market sees Charlie Appleby's Blue Trail 6.05/1, who had little excuses in the Esher Cup at Sandown and was well-positioned to strike but lacked the turn of foot to live with the favourite and could be suited by this step up in distance. He is unexposed on turf, but he is not one to be running scared of by any means.
Mr Big Stuff 8.07/1 will surely find an opening before long, but this track is unlikely to see his sizeable frame to best effect, so I wanted to head away from the top of the market after more digging.
Hugo Palmer's Box To Box 14.013/1 could be worth chancing. He dug deep on seasonal return, and given that came on the back of an absence and a gelding operation, he is entitled to improve. The form of that contest looks no more than solid, but he is a horse that's likely to be operating over middle distance trips this season, and anything he had done over shorter with his former handler is surely a bonus.
Talented claimer Harry Davies takes off five pounds which negotiates the rise of his latest win, and although this is deeper, he is drawn well and unlikely to be too far from the head of affairs and won't be stopping.
Verdict: Back Box To Box 14.013/1
14:35 Princess Elizabeth Stakes
Three-year-old Majestic Glory 9.08/1 caught the eye at Newbury on seasonal return, finishing strongly from the rear of the field in a steadily run race behind old adversary Wild Beauty. That was a good effort considering she was very keen early on, and connections have now reached for the hood on this return to a 1m - which will see her to far better effect.
She receives 12 pounds from her older rivals today, and three-year-olds have won three of the last nine from just 15 runners.
She comes out clear top-rated on weight-adjusted ratings, and she is well worth a chance to build on her promising two-year-old campaign with her latest run now under her belt.
Bashkirova and Potapova are likeable sorts at the top of the market, and Mrs Fitzherbert, a taking winner at Goodwood, may not be done progressing.
Verdict: Back Majestic Glory 9.08/1
15:10 Cazoo Diomed Stakes
Modern News 2.47/5 is highly likely to prove tough to beat, but a case can be made that he was well placed to win a weak enough Listed contest last time at Windsor, and the bare form of that will need improving on to land this contest.
At the prices, he may be best left alone, and the offering is Mutasaabeq 4.57/2, who was denied a clear run at Sandown in Group 2 company last time and shapes as though there's a good deal more to come. He has an underlining quality about him and gives the firm impression we have yet to see the best of him. Connections have been patient, but he has now strung two very good efforts together with this term, including his win at Thirsk that suggests he has every right to be fighting out this finish.
Zakouski 10.09/1 is not the choice of William Buick, but he looks lofty odds given his rating, and his last effort in the UK was a Listed win at Newmarket. Still, he needs to bounce back but could easily trouble the judge if returning to form.
Verdict: Back Mutasaabeq 5.04/1
15:45 Simpex Express 'Dash' Handicap
A 20 runner sprint handicap is not easy to solve, but Mokaatil 11.010/1 looks like a favourable price given his excellent three for four records at this venue. He rarely gets a race run to suit, but the sharp downhill nature of this track often means there is a pace collapse, and that's precisely the scenario he needs. He is reunited with Harry Davies, who scored on him here three starts ago, and there are very few if any negatives to his chances.
Dangers are aplenty. Mulzim 34.033/1 looks like a fair each-way price. He is a nine-race Maiden on turf but has gone close off of much higher handicap marks than today's, and backing him on his second start after a break is key, with form figures of 1,2,3,1,2,0.
Verdict: Back Mokaatil 11.010/1 to win / Back Mulzim 34.033/1 each way.
16:30 Cazoo Derby
The feature event looks like a cracking contest, as it does every year. I am not overly sold on the three Irish runner's towards the top of the market, Stone Age, Piz Badile and Changingofthegaurd, for all the preference would be for the latter if you wanted a pecking order.
Desert Crown 2.89/5 looked excellent on debut, and it was hard to fault his seasonal return Dante win, but he is short enough on the bare form and the unknown about the trip. He has all the attributes to be a top-class horse, but I am always sceptical of a horse recording an RPR of 94 and then a huge jump to 120; that just seems way off to me as a form student. Aidan O'Brien will have a good line into him also with the fifth beaten five lengths Bluegrass - who didn't even get an entry here. I am happy to let him win at his current odds.
I'd rather have a poke with some at bigger prices. The supplement of Nations Pride didn't damage confidence in Walk Of Stars 15.014/1, which is the first of two plays here. Walk Of Stars has been learning on the job and showed significant progression between each of his four starts. There are lots to like about the size and scope of this imposing sort, and he wasn't done with when beaten through inexperience under pressure at Lingfield. Instead, I took plenty of positives from the performance - notably, how well he handled the course. The ground will be far more suitable today, and the extra half furlong will do him no harm. In the hope he has progressed again, he receives the first good mention.
Second is Star Of India 17.016/1, who I was impressed with when winning at Chester. The bare form of that needs improving on granted, but he didn't know he was in a race until 50 yards from the line. He will improve with a step up in distance, and he has a very likeable attitude.
A good mention must come for the forgotten horse of the field, Masekela 51.050/1, and if I am allowed three? He would be next on the list. He had a tremendous two-year-old season and is the only horse in the field to get close to Native Trail when a short-head second in the Superlative Stakes. He has been treated harshly by this market after a well-needed reappearance run behind Eydon, and it's hard to suggest that was his true running given the proximity of the third Austrian Theory, who was seven lengths adrift in the above mentioned Superlative last season.
There's a good chance that could bring him on a tonne, and he is bred to improve as a three-year-old and over middle distances. 50/1 looks barmy to me - sod it, I am having three.
Walk Of Stars 16/1
Star Of India 20/1
Masekela 50/1
17:15 World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap
It's always wise to take note when trainer Alan King books William Buick. Together they have a 44% strike rate, and it's not by coincidence that he is onboard Midnights Legacy 6.05/1 for a bid to repeat the winning combination of last year in this contest. He is fairly handicapped on the balance of his form, particularly on his victory in this race last season, so he must be greatly respected.
Solent Gateway 6.05/1 is better than he showed at Chester last time out, and a return to Epsom should suit him well. He ran a cracker here on return and scored at this venue last season on his third start, and given the nature of this track, course specialists are worth their weight in gold.
Fahan 9.08/1 is another that proved disappointing on his latest outing, but he may have needed both of his runs this season and judged on his excellent second in the Old Rowley Cup and November handicap win, he shouldn't be done with just yet.
Verdict: Back Solent Gateway 6.05/1
17:50 RA Tokyo Trophy Handicap
The NAP of the day comes in the lucky last and it's the big priced Punchbowl Flyer 34.033/1 that piques the interest in this contest. The time to catch Eve Johnson Houghton's runner is the third time out. He scored third time out in 2019, interestingly, after running over seven furlongs the time before. He scored fourth time out in 2020, again after running over seven furlongs prior, and he scored third time out in 2021 after running over five furlongs previously.
Today is his third time after a break, and he arrives on the back of a good fifth over seven furlongs at Goodwood. The drop back in trip today should see him to better effect, and he is drawn well to get on the front end. He could prove very tough to catch, and the more rain that arrives the better his chances off of a falling handicap mark.