Derby field takes shape as contenders gallop at Epsom before £1.5m Classic (2024)

Four horses engaged in the Betfred Derby exercised over Epsom racecourse as 21 horses remained in contention, seven trained by Aidan O'Brien including favourite City Of Troy

The field for the £1.5 million Betfred Derby began to take shape on Tuesday when Eposm hosted its annual Gallops morning.

The event offers the chance for trainers with horses engaged in the race to give their colts an early taste of what to expect on the big day. The unique track which rises from the start to the top of the Hill and then descends to Tattenham Corner and up the cambered straight is considered to be the ultimate challenge for elite thoroughbreds.

The trainers of four contenders accepted the invitation to work their horses round the famous bend and then confirmed they would take their chance at Epsom on June 1.

And Aidan O’Brien reduced his team, removing Dee Stakes winner Capulet from the field. He now has seven of the 21 entires, which are headed by favourite City Of Troy.

Impressive Dante Stakes winner Economics could join the line-up if connections pay the £75,000 supplementary fee.

Which Derby contenders worked at Epsom, what the trainers said plus latest William Hill odds

Dancing Gemini (Roger Teal) 16-1
“I was very happy with that. He looked good coming down the hill to me and I just wanted to confirm with William (Cox, rider) what he felt. William was delighted and said he handled the track beautifully. He’s got such a relaxed manner about him that you can put him to sleep and then hopefully use his burst of speed towards the end of the race. There’s positives – he’s not guaranteed to stay, no horse is, but on paper he’s got more of a chance of staying than he hasn’t.”

Deira Mile (Owen Burrows) 66-1
“It wouldn’t usually be my style to come to something like this but I just felt it might suit this horse. He was highly tried on his last run of 2023 up at Doncaster in a Group One (the Futurity Stakes) and I wanted to just get his head in front this season in as weak a race as we could find and I feel we did that at Windsor, where he won nicely. I feel he has taken a big step forward from that and Ahmad (Al Shaikh, owner) was adamant he didn’t want to go for a trial, so I thought today would give us the ideal opportunity to come and get a feel of the track. Jim was very pleased with him and I was very pleased visually with him. Fingers crossed, today has done him some good.”

Macduff (Ralph Beckett) 16-1
“I am very happy and he did what we hoped he would do today. He is a very straightforward customer and has got the right mindset – he enjoys his work and gets on with it. He’s a well-balanced horse. At Sandown, he put up a good effort and hopefully he will come forward significantly for it. He is out of a Bated Breath mare who was a half-sister to Kingman, so there is plenty of speed there but he shapes more like Sea The Stars than Kingman or Bated Breath in my view. In terms of the way he is made and the way he trains, there is more cause for optimism going up in trip with him.”

Voyage (Richard Hannon) 33-1
“This fella ran very well at Newbury, travelled very well. This track will suit him – I just hope he’s not too keen, which he can be. We don’t know how high the bar is or how high he can go but we’re hoping he’s a good horse. He’s not very experienced. He’s unbeaten – that’s one thing you can say for him. But it’s whether he’s good enough and I don’t think there’s any way of finding that out until after the race.”