Betfred Derby Ante-Post 2024 Tips: City Of Troy firm favourite

Last week I wrote about the Betfred Derby trials making the picture much murkier instead of clearer, but we were awaiting the most telling trial in the Dante Stakes at York last Thursday.

What followed presented an even cloudier outlook.

Ancient Wisdom was fancied to build on his Group 1 win last October and give Godolphin a solid second string for the June 1 contest, but perhaps the drying ground was his undoing, as he saw the rear end of Economics disappear towards the winning line.

But this was just the start of the fun and games.

Pre-race, the winners’ trainer William Haggas had exercised caution about him running at Epsom with such a big raw horse and had been taken out of the contest earlier in the year.

However, that was before he blew away the field by sixth lengths in what is recognised as the leading Betfred Derby trial that has produced six of the last 20 winners.

The gathered media surrounded the trainer’s wife, Maureen in the winners’ enclosure who was equally non-committal. While admitting he had the class for the race, the same sentiments that had been made in the morning were delivered again.

He did have a bloody nose too which raised caution, although he did appear to knock his head on the stalls.

Economics can be supplemented at a cost of £75,000 (won £109k in the Dante) and a conversation will be had with the owner, Isa Salman Al Khalifa if they are to roll the dice.

The French or Irish equivalents and Royal Ascot could be targets.

The market took another twist on Friday morning when Godolphin’s leading hope and impressive Sandown winner Arabian Crown was ruled out through injury.

It served to firm up City Of Troy’s price to 7/4 to bounce back from his 2000 Guineas disappointing as much discussed in last week’s column.

Ballydoyle now seem to hold the key again with Los Angeles available at 6/1 with French Guineas fourth Diego Velazquez a 14/1 hope.

Ambiente Friendly has been the biggest mover after today’s scratching stage which leaves 21 contenders 10 days out form the £1.5m classic. James Fanshawe’s Lingfield hero is now into 4/1 second favourite.

On Tuesday morning, four more hopes had a taste of Epsom Downs on the Betfred Derby Gallops Morning.

Ralph Beckett sent his 14/1 hope Macduff, who followed home Arabian Crown at Sandown.

The Kimpton Down trainer said: "I’m very happy [with the gallop]. He did what we hoped. He is a very straightforward horse with the right mindset.

"He very much enjoys his work, is a well-balanced horse and we came here as he hasn’t run since Sandown and needed to do something."

Also getting a feel for the track was French 2000 Guineas runner-up and 16/1 Derby hope Dancing Gemini, who bids to give former Epsom trainer Roger Teal a first classic success having been narrowly denied at Longchamp.

A very much unexposed sort in Voyage for Richard Hannon only has a Newbury maiden success on his CV and is 33/1 to win the Betfred Derby on just his second start.

Owen Burrows will saddle Deira Mile next Saturday after the 66/1 shot had a spin on the Epsom undulations.

In terms of the Betfred Oaks, Secret Satire well and truly threw her hat into the ring after winning the Musidora at York. She was cut to 14/1 from 100/1 after a surprising 22/1 success for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy.y

Off the track, we saw significant market support for Dermot Weld’s Eeliya. She started the week as an 11/1 shot but was backed all the way down to 4/1 third-favouritism behind the Aidan O’Brien trained pair Ylang Ylang (5/2) and Rubies Are Red (4/1) - the market dominated by Irish raiders.

This weekend we have the Betfred Temple Stakes and the Betfred Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock that will give us plenty of clues towards Royal Ascot.

I will be back to review those races next week and to continue the build up to the weekend's Betfred Derby festival.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights