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

Tips Summary

Please Note: Prices quoted in table below were correct at time of each writer/tipster's column being published on Betting.Betfair.

Derby Day tips and insight

13:30 - Tattenham Corner Stakes - Mark Milligan: Be Brave in opener

5 (8)

Never So Brave (Ire)

• J: Oisin Murphy
• T: Andrew Balding
• F: 20/21117-5

• SBK 6/5
• EXC 2.3

We're straight into the think of the action on Derby Day, with the card's best bet coming in the 7f Tattenham Corner Stakes that opens proceedings.

Andrew Balding's Never So Brave established himself as a top-class performer at this trip last season, culminating in a Group 1 success in the City Of York Stakes at the Ebor meeting in August.

Although he gets a mile fine, this 7f distance looks his absolute optimum and a spin over the longer trip on his return at Sandown in April should have taken some of the freshness out of him with a view to returning to his optimum trip here.

With more 7f Group 1 contests likely to be on the agenda later this season, I'll be disappointed if Never So Brave can't take this lesser race with something to spare.

14:05 - Princess Elizabeth Stakes - Sam Turner: Sparks flying at Epsom

1 (2)

Sparks Fly

• J: Laura Pearson
• T: David Loughnane
• F: 11/8381-04

• SBK 7/2
• EXC 4.7

It could be a big afternoon for owner Dave Lowe who has Sparks Fly striving to atone for a luckless run in this event 12 months ago and Partisan Hero bidding to complete a notable Epsom hat-trick in the finale.

Lowe also has chances of a winner at Chepstow, but Sparks Fly is the first point of reference as the rain that has fallen this week should play to her strengths and she ran a blinder in the face of stiff opposition at Chester.

To finish within a couple of lengths of last year's Derby winner Lambourn, himself vying for third favouritism in a hot renewal of the Coronation stakes, and Bay City Roller who also tackles today's Group 1 test on the back of a brilliant run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, was some effort from the selection.

Suited by deep ground or decent conditions, Sparks Fly was hemmed in a pocket at a crucial point of last year's renewal and unfortunately the aggressively-ridden Spiritual had flown by the time David Loughnane's extricated herself under Laura Person.

That the selection closed down runner-up Bright Thunder in the final furlong was highly impressive and it was no surprise that the selection boasted the best finishing speed percentage in the race with a figure of 105.6%.

Hopefully, she enjoys more breaks today and can supplement last autumn's French Group 3 win on easy ground with a similar success on these shores.

14:40 - Coronation Cup - Katie Midwinter: Get rolling with Bay City

1 (4)

Bay City Roller (Ire)

• J: Oisin Murphy
• T: George Scott
• F: 262241-22

• SBK 16/1
• EXC 17.5

Bay City Roller is an interesting outsider, however, far from a forlorn hope with proven top level form on his record. He has to find further improvement to match the level shown by the main protagonists at the head of the market, but may still be on an upward trajectory with the step back up in trip likely to suit.

A Group Two winner as a juvenile, the New Bay colt chased home Opera Ballo on reappearance last season before going on to perform consistently well in Group company prior to landing Group One honours by seven-lengths in Munich.

This season, he has continued his good run of form and perhaps taken another step forward, showing maturity and racing professionally. He was only narrowly denied by Lambourn in the Huxley Stakes, the winner grinding it out on that occasion, and looked to be travelling best of all approaching the final couple of furlongs when beaten two-lengths by Almaqam in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

The George Scott-trained contender has struggled to get past the eventual winners in both of his previous two races, when travelling upsides in great fashion. Whilst this may be a slight concern in such deep waters here, he may be worth another chance over this extra trip as the best could be yet to come from him as a true stayer.

His dam Bloomfield won a Listed contest over a mile-and-three-quarters, which bodes well for his staying credentials should it turn into a real stamina test over this middle-distance in rain-softened ground, and he already has proven form over the trip as well as on an easier surface.

There's plenty to like about Bay City Roller's profile and he could be capable of showing further progression beyond his current rating 118. He has been gaining valuable experience against tough rivals at the top level which should hold him in good stead, and, with an extra couple of furlongs in his favour, could spring a small surprise under Oisin Murphy.

15:15 - Epsom Dash Handicap - Katie Midwinter: Back Storm to make an Impact

6 (16)

Stormy Impact

• J: Warren Fentiman
• T: Richard & Peter Fahey
• F: 0915826-0

• SBK 12/1
• EXC 15.5

Course-and-distance winner Stormy Impact landed the three-year-old "Dash" at last year's meeting here, beating Lexington Blitz by a length from a rating of 90. She has since won from a 3lb higher mark and put in competitive efforts in defeat, and could be capable of taking a step forward for her return to action at York last month.

The four-year-old filly is on a workable mark of 92 under regular partner Warren Fentiman, who claims 3lb in the saddle. She has course form in her favour and could put in a bold bid in this competitive sprint.

Betfair Tipsters' Epsom Derby Tips

*Click Tipster name to go to their column for full reasoning and click on the horse name to go directly to a pre-loaded betslip

Epsom Derby Real Time Betting (Exchange)

Epsom 6th Jun (1m4f Grp 1)

Saturday 6 June, 4.00pm

16:00 - Epsom Derby - Alan Dudman: Collect with Item in Derby

9 (3)

Item

• J: C. T. Keane
• T: Andrew Balding
• F: 11-1

• SBK 4/1
• EXC 5.9

I've long been a fan of Item, and while I have a nagging doubt about the going, I think the way he races and his balanced style, I can see him taking to the course well and with stamina, he might have a little more class than Maltese Cross.

16:00 - Epsom Derby - Katie Midwinter's Runner Guide & 1-2-3 Tips

12 (8)

Pierre Bonnard (Ire)

• J: Christophe Soumillon
• T: Aidan O'Brien, Ireland
• F: 4111-72

• SBK 5/1
• EXC 8.8

Camelot colt Pierre Bonnard shaped with plenty of promise as a juvenile following a debut defeat at Leopardstown, in a maiden which previously featured Delaxcroix and Scandinavia, claiming Group Three honours followed by a Group One success during the second-half of the campaign.

He appeared to improve for the step up to a mile-and-a-quarter in softer conditions at Saint-Cloud, having coped with a quicker surface at Newmarket previously, and looked the perfect specimen for a Derby.

An imposing, good-looking colt, Pierre Bonnard should hold stamina in abundance being by a strong staying stallion out of Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina, who has also produced Crepe Suzette, Group Two-placed over an extended mile-and-three-quarters. He's also related to a number of other stayers including Dal Harraild and French Master, plus multiple Grade One winner Anisette, whose accolades include the Del Mar Oaks, and Mohaafeth.

This challenge could perfectly suit the well-bred likeable colt, and the best may be yet to come from him as he steps further up in distance in these conditions.

16:40 - Lester Piggot Handicap - Mark Milligan: Pageant to send Folk home happy

9 (4)

Folk Pageant

• J: Rowan Scott
• T: Charlie Johnston
• F: 2-1911

• SBK 6/1
• EXC 8

While the following handicap may lack the prestige of the Derby, it's no less competitive and I'm confident that we've yet to see the best of Charlie Johnston's Folk Pageant despite the filly having won three of her last four starts.

The one blip in that quartet of races came when caught wide on the all-weather at Southwell, but that wasn't her running in any case and she's much better judged on her last two outings, both of which she won at Newmarket and Chester. That Chester win in particular showcased her ability to handle an unorthodox track and that should stand her in good stead here, as will the undulations she'd faced on her previous start at HQ.

A daughter of Derby winner Masar, she's bred to land a race on the big day and her pedigree strongly suggests she may even prove better than a handicapper in time, so it stands to reason there should still be more mileage in her current mark of just 80.

Now read The Derby: Katie Midwinter's runner-by-runner guide