Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for the Derby at Epsom and more

• Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet for Derby day at Epsom

• Get our tipsters' best bets and ambassador insight

• Sam Turner's best bets for Epsom plus Kevin Blake and Katie Midwinter

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Timeform Superboost

It's Epsom Derby day, and we have a well-backed favourite in the shape of the Aidan O'Brien trianed Delacroix. The three-year-old has finished in the top two in all seven of his career starts to date, including winning both of his starts this season, and today you can back him at the super-boosted price of 5/42.25 (from 1/31.33) just to finish in the top four!

To take advantage of this Superboost just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

*Please Note. This Superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our writers or tipsters.

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Watch Racing...Only Bettor Derby special

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Saturday at Epsom horse racing tips and insight

Epsom, 13:00 - Mark Milligan: Skellet can get the Epsom card off to flyer

Derby day at Epsom kicks off with a strong renewal of the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes and cases can be made for plenty of the field.

Bright Thunder heads the market on the Sportsbook at the time of writing, but her form doesn't strike me as the strongest in the line-up and she can be taken on.

James Tate's Royal Dress won a couple of times last season and endured a rough passage when third in this last year, likely to have gone close with a much better run through. She shaped as if as good as ever over a longer trip at York last time.

Granted the breaks this time, she looks sure to give a good account of herself but she doesn't strike me as anywhere near so progressive as Ralph Beckett's Skellet, who looks the type to win good prizes this season, potentially at a higher level than this.

She competed in Group 1s on her first two starts of 2024 but really came into her own with sights lowered a bit later on, finishing second in a Group 3 at Chantilly before taking a listed race at Sandown on her final start.

Her trainer is a dab hand at getting the best out of fillies as they mature and Skellet could well prove the perfect example this season.

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Epsom, 13:35 - Sam Turner: Persica can go very close

Tackling a mile on fast ground at the top level was never truly going to play to the strengths of Persica so his seemingly lacklustre effort in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury is forgiven.

This test is much more in the wheelhouse of Richard Hannon's likeable son of New Bay who is reunited with Ryan Moore for a return to Group 3 level back at a venue where he excelled on this day 12 months ago.

That may have only been a handicap, but the way the selection operated on the contours was encouraging and he showed he is capable of mixing it at Pattern level on his comeback in the Earl Of Sefton at Newmarket where he relished the cut in the ground to routinely see off the likes of Ottoman Fleet et al with the minimum of fuss.

Had he not gone to Berkshire and instead come straight here for this assignment, then I think Persica would be a clear favourite for this contest (Docklands is favoured in the market at the time of writing) and I will be disappointed if he doesn't go very close to bagging a second Group 3 of the season.   

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Epsom, 14:10 - Timeform: Ruby's Profit has a lot going for her

Ruby's Profit made a winning debut last season and performed creditably in a couple of valuable sales races towards the backend of last year.

She has shown much improved form so far this year, however, winning as she liked back in handicap company on her return at Wolverhampton in April, improving in defeat at Chester next time, and proving herself still ahead of her mark when quickly resuming winning ways at Goodwood last month.

Ruby's Profit found a fast five furlongs right up her street on that occasion, essentially running her rivals off their feet, and having more in hand than the official margin implies over the reopposing Mademoiselle at the line.

She has a nice high draw, which can be favoured over five furlongs at Epsom, and this essentially downhill track - one of the fastest five furlongs in the country - will suit her well. There's plenty to like about her chances.

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Epsom, 14:45 - Katie Midwinter: Vintage Clarets can land the Epsom Dash

Six-year-old gelding Vintage Clarets has put in two respectable efforts recently at both Ripon and York, but should be better suited by this test in slower ground conditions from a workable mark of 94. The Richard Fahey-trained contender is only 1lb higher than his previously winning mark over 5f in soft ground at Catterick last autumn, and has also won from his current rating in the past.

Third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in his career, the son of Ardad has shaped into a useful sprinter, particularly in conditions that suit, and the ease in the ground at Epsom will certainly be in his favour whilst it may inconvenience some of his rivals.

Capable 5lb claimer Warren Fentiman is in the saddle, easing his burden at the weights, and there's enough in his favour to suggest he can run a big race with some luck in-running.

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Epsom Derby Tips

Epsom, 15:30 - Kevin Blake: Tennessee Stud and Lambourn make big Derby appeal

My focus is on horses that will stay well and the first I want to mention positively at a very big price is the Joseph O'Brien-trained Tennessee Stud.

The son of Wootton Bassett progressed run-to-run as a juvenile culminating in victory in a below-standard renewal of the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Having taken some time to come to hand, he shaped as if in need of the run and a stronger test of stamina when a well-held third to Delacroix in a slowly-run Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.

He seems sure to improve plenty from that and the stamina test that this race promises to present will very much suit. He wouldn't want too much rain, but the soft side of good will be fine for him. He is well drawn and looks to be a very big price.

However, the main selection is the Aidan O'Brien-trained Lambourn.

Bizarrely, he might well prove to be the third-best of Aidan O'Brien's three runners in this race in the fullness of time, but he is by far the one that promises to be best suited by the test that this race is likely to present.

I was quite impressed with him in the Chester Vase as he was caught wide early and looked to find the track to be a bit sharp, but he was very strong all the way up the straight and was well on top at the line. This strong test of stamina is sure to suit him and he might well be able to grind his way past some speedier rivals to run a very big race.

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Epsom, 15:30 - Mark Milligan: Midak to land poignant Derby for Aga Khan

This year's Derby is run in the memory of the late Aga Khan and the stars could align for French raider Midak, who has been supplemented to try and bag another Epsom win for the famous green and red silks.

Midak would be following in the footsteps of some illustrious names, with the likes of Shergar, Sindaar and Harzand among the five previous winners of the race for the Aga Khan.

The selection himself is unbeaten in three starts and looks the type to carry on progressing as he gets older, particularly as the son of Footstepsinthesand has a really stout pedigree from a typical Aga Khan family on the dam's side.

His most recent success at Saint-cloud was visually taking, the selection controlling things from the front before quickening clear over a furlong from home.

Midak won't lack for assistance from the saddle either, with jockey Mickael Barzalona having already won the big race on Pour Moi in 2011, with his famous 'before the line' celebration lasting long in the memory.

There'd be no more poignant winner of the race than Midak and I'm more than happy to row in with him each-way at 12/113.00, while we also have the benefit of four places on the Sportsbook.

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Epsom, 15:30 - Timeform: Pride Of Arras gets the Derby nod

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Epsom, 15:30 - Katie Midwinter: The Lion In Winter can not be overlooked

It's a difficult race to predict because it features a number of unexposed colts, any of whom could show significant improvement on what they have achieved so far. Ruling Court is the one to beat as the sole Classic winner in the race, but conditions may not be suitable and he faces a number of rivals who come from stamina-laden families.

Delacroix demands respect as the shortest-priced contender for the leading trainer in the race, the choice of Ryan Moore after two victories this term, however, his stablemate The Lion In Winter was once strongly fancied for this Classic but is now the slightly forgotten horse in the field despite being the highest-rated juvenile of the nineteen. 

Pride Of Arras and Damysus both emerged with a huge amount of credit in the Dante Stakes, the form of which could prove worth following, whilst Lambourn looks an out-and-out stayer who will likely be suited by this test, particularly should the rain have a significant effect on the ground conditions.

Prediction:

1. The Lion In Winter

2. Damysus

3. Pride Of Arras

4. Lambourn

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Epsom, 15:30 - Sam Turner: Pride Of Arras can land Derby for Ralph Beckett

The likes of Delacroix and Ruling Court could, in time, prove this test is their optimum, but the data that is currently to hand suggests they might be vulnerable if the ground eases and a solid gallop puts a premium on stamina. With that in mind, PRIDE OF ARRAS is preferred as he won what appeared the best trial featuring a deep field at a time when his yard could barely buy a first time out winner. Of his rivals, the underrated Lambourn should relish a proper test and appeals each-way, while the Gosden duo Damysus and Nightwalker are very much respected.  

Prediction:

1. Pride Of Arras

2. Lambourn

3. Damysus

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