Fourteen go to post, nine English and five Irish colts will battle it out for the second colts classic of the season, the Derby at Epsom.

The Irish

Ballydoyle are represented by four: Benvenuto Cellini, Pierre Bonnard, Action and Christmas Day, with Owning Hill sending over James J Braddock.

Benvenuto Cellini is the market favourite at 2/1, the choice of Ryan Moore. He made his debut running second to a more fancied stable companion, Dorset, at the Curragh in June last year. Two weeks later, he was a very easy winner of a Killarney Maiden, again from a stable companion, Endorsement. We knew that was good form when Endorsement won going away next time out at Tipperary. Benvenuto Cellini was put away until September, next contesting the G2 Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown at the Irish Champions Festival, where he bolted up. He then went to Doncaster for the G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes, going off favourite, he was beaten, finishing third in very deep ground by stable companions Hawk Mountain and Action.

Action will have Wayne Lordan abroad. He only went down a ½L at Doncaster to Hawk Mountain, who ran second in the Prix du Jockey Club last Sunday. This year, he was sent to Sandown for the G3 Classic Trial, going off 4/6f, but he never travelled and was a well-beaten sixth. Next up, the G2 Dante at York, he found Item 2¾L too good.

Pierre Bonnard will renew his partnership with Christophe Smouillon. He was the winter Derby favourite on the back of some very good juvenile form. Introduced to the racecourse at Leopardstown in July, he required the run, finishing fourth. He then was a comfortable winner of a Maiden in Dundalk in August before readily taking the G3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket by 1½L from stablemate Endorsement. It was no surprise to see him then go off favourite for the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, where again he was a comfortable winner from A Boy Named Susie, who ran fourth in Paris last Sunday. This year, he again needed the run first time out in the Ballysax, finishing a disappointing seventh 6L behind Christmas Day. He improved enormously to go down a short head to James J Braddock in the G3 Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.

Christmas Day was no match for Action or Endorsement in his first two runs last year. He then won a Maiden at Gowran Park, following up by taking the G3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown from A Boy Named Susie. This year, he’s won the Ballysax and finished third to Item in the Dante. Ronan Whelan will be in the plate.

James J Braddock, the mount of Dylan Browne McGonagle, made his debut in a Navan Maiden in October. He was beaten a ½L, then in November he hacked up at the Curragh, winning 6L from stablemate Cannes, who this year is developing into a good horse. Joseph O’Brien sent James J Braddock to the Ballysax in April, where he finished fifth to Christmas Day, and then he came over the top to collar Pierre Bonnard in the Derby Trial Stakes.

The English

Andrew Balding has Item and A Taste Of Glory, Willie Haggas has Maltese Cross, Ralph Beckett has Bay of Brillance, Charlie Johnston has Ancient Egypt, Faye Bramley has Rebel Rocker, Jane Chappel-Hyam has Balzac, Richard Hannon has Alderman, and Karl Burke has Poker.

Item will have Colin Keane on top, prominent in the market, 4/1 second favourite, he’s only had the three runs, winning them all. A Maiden win on the All-Weather at Kempton was followed by a Novice Stakes victory at Bath last year. On reappearance this year, he was impressive in winning the Dante.

Maltese Cross was beaten a neck on debut and then won a head in a Newmarket Maiden last year. This year he’s won a Novice at Newbury and followed up taking the Lingfield Derby Trial a neck from Bay Of Brillance.

It’s great to see both Faye Bramley and Jane Chappel-Hyam have runners here; however, on form, they have it all to do. The same can be said of Alderman.

The pair owned by Amo Racing, Poker, a 4,300,000gns purchase at Tattersalls Book 1 two years ago, and Ancient Egypt, a snip in comparison at 1,100,000gns have an awful lot to do; however, Ancient Egypt has some scope to improve on his Listed win at Newmarket last time out.

Conclusion

This morning, it’s reported that the rain forecast overnight didn’t materialise, and the picture is better than expected, with the potential for the Derby course to quicken due to this morning’s conditions.

That’s good news for principals, Benvenuto Cellini and Item. It’s also a help to Maltese Cross and Bay Of Brillance. The perception is that Pierre Bonnard will need give in the ground; however, his win in the Zetland was on good to firm.

It will come down to class.

That narrows the picture to Item, Pierre Bonnard and Benvenuto Cellini. All three will improve; they will have to win this. Who’s the classiest?

In order

1. Benvenuto Cellini 2. Pierre Bonnard 3. Item

Recommendation

Benvenuto Cellini 7/4 win

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