Black-Type Analysis: All Eyes On Delacroix In The Derby, After Ballydoyle’s Friday Triumphs

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 15:30, BETFRED DERBY-G1, £1,604,000, 3yo, c/f, 12f 6yT

Field: Al Wasl Storm (Ire) (Affinisea {Ire}), Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Green Storm (Ire) (Circus Maximus {Ire}), Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Lazy Griff (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Midak (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), New Ground (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Nightime Dancer (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Nightwalker (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Pride Of Arras (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Rogue Impact (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Ruling Court (Justify), Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Tennessee Stud (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Tornado Alert (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Tuscan Hills (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: With rain about, albeit not a great deal, this is not going to be a fast-ground Derby and with such a large field the emphasis could be more on stamina than ever. If that is true, it will suit the G3 Chester Vase winner Lambourn who has the ideal draw in “lucky” stall 10 and who may just have been hiding his true light under a bushel so far. If he's in the mix, the likes of Midak and Lazy Griff may not be too far away and this could be one of those renewals where the principals aren't quite what they are cracked up to be. There are stamina doubts surrounding Ruling Court, Delacroix and The Lion In Winter but none surrounding the G2 Dante winner Pride Of Arras. His York performance was very strong and it is impossible to ignore all his ideal credentials for this race. Possibly underestimated due to the fact that he is not trained at Ballydoyle or sports Godolphin silks, he is under the care of Ralph Beckett who has proven time and again that he knows exactly how to train a top prospect. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 13:35, THE BETFRED DIOMED STAKES-G3, £100,000, 3yo/up, 8f 113yT

Field: Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Geography (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Persica (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road), Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}), Ice Max (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Royal Dubai (Fr) (Seahenge), Tyrrhenian Sea (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Docklands loves Ascot, but how last year's G1 Queen Anne Stakes runner-up takes to this contrasting terrain is anybody's guess. The form of his latest Listed Paradise Stakes second to Sardinian Warrior was boosted by that son of Saxon Warrior's effort in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan and he sets the standard. Successful in the Lester Piggott Handicap at this meeting 12 months ago, Persica has a penalty for his success in Newmarket's G3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes but that might not stop him. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 13:00, THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES-G3, £100,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 8f 113yT

Field: Bright Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Chic Colombine (Fr) (Seahenge), Imperial Quarter (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Kindest Nation (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Royal Dress (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Sirona (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Skellet (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Sparks Fly (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Spiritual (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Sunfall (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}), Bermuda Longtail (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Skellet hasn't lived up to that tag so far, but there is still time for Juddmonte's acquisition who signed off last term with a win in Sandown's Listed Fortune Stakes. Of the 3-year-olds, Bermuda Longtail is the most interesting having got closest to the smart Kon Tiki in a well-contested renewal of York's Listed Michael Seely Memorial Stakes last month. [Tom Frary].

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan, post time: 15:40, YASUDA KINEN-G1, ¥347,460,000, 3yo/up, 1600mT

Field: Sixpence (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Daddy's Vivid (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Mad Cool (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Win Marvel (Jpn) (I'll Have Another), Red Mon Reve (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Gratias (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Gaia Force (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Ecoro Walz (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}), Champagne Color (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice), Sakura Toujours (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), Long Run (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}), Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), Water Licht (Jpn) (Drefong), Ho O Reality (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), Trovatore (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Jun Blossom (Jpn) (World Ace {Jpn}), Brede Weg (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). Click here for the preview.

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