The going has changed to

and

following a dry night and three millimetres of watering.

 

Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs, said at 11.30am after walking the courses twice this morning: "It is Good ground from the mile and a half start to the bottom of the hill, while it is on the faster side of good up the home straight. I would say the top side of the home straight is Good to Firm. The temperature is about 23 degrees Celsius now and it is going to get hotter - up to 26 or 27 degrees Celsius. The courses will dry, as was shown yesterday on a much cooler and less sunny day.

 

"I am thinking that by the time the Investec Derby is off at 4.30pm, I am anticipating Good to Firm ground, but hopefully a decent, safe Good to Firm. We will update with any changes to the official going descriptions through the afternoon.

 

"I walked much of the course yesterday evening after racing and it was almost Good to Firm. The question was then how much water do we put on rather than do we water. We put on three millimetres from the mile and a half start to the six-furlong pole; left the next two furlongs, which is down the hill into the home straight which had been watered earlier in the week and we put three millimetres on the home straight down to the crossing on the pulling up area just by the Rubbing House pub.

 

"We started watering about 6.30pm yesterday and the team finished around 12.30am. Those same guys were in about 4.30am this morning. It is great credit and thanks to them. There were four guys involved in the watering - the two main ones were Craig Williamson, who is the Regional Estates Manager, and Chris Youngs, the Deputy Estates Manager, who is based here at Epsom all the time. We have six full-time groundstaff."

 

Derby course 7.6, Stands' side straight course 7.9

 

5f - Stands' side, 6f - Outside, 1m 4f - Centre, Remainder - Inside

 

The inside running rail, which was dolled out by up to five yards from the mile marker to the winning post for racing yesterday, is back on its original line which means there is fresh ground on the inside for Investec Derby Day today.

 

It is going to be a dry and hot day today, with temperatures going up to 27 degrees.

 

1.8mm rain Tuesday.

5mm water to last two furlongs of the Hill on Tuesday afternoon.

2.8mm rain Wednesday.

5mm of water applied to rest of course during Wednesday.

3mm of water applied to all the mile and a half course, except from the six-furlong pole to the home straight crossing, on Friday night.            

 

 

 

no2.            Master The World         (vet's certificate (bad scope))

 

no2.            Stake Acclaim               (going)

 

no11.          Gabrial The Devil          (self certificate (stiff))

no13.          Tawny Port                    (going)

no14.          Paddy Power                 (self certificate (stiff))

The G1 Investec Derby is of course the highlight on day two of the Investec Derby Festival, but an excellent undercard, including two G3 contests provides punters with ample opportunities to bash the bookies.

 

In the opening £50,000 Investec Private Banking Handicap (2.00pm), the Mark Johnston-trained The Trader is a notable market mover, constricting in price to 4/1 from 7/1 with Unibet, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival. The three-year-old son of Mastercraftsman finished a creditable fifth at Newbury last time out.

 

Richard Hannon saddles Anna Nerium in the £90,000 G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes (2.35pm) and the four-year-old daughter of Leroidesanimaux is a 9/2 shot from 5/1 with Unibet for the extended mile contest. She finished second on her return to turf at Goodwood on May 9 and was second in this event last year.

 

Andrew Balding, Silvestre de Sousa and King Power Racing team up with Bangkok in today's Investec Derby and they could get on the scoresheet earlier on at Epsom Downs courtesy of Bye Bye Hong Kong, a solid 9/4 favourite from 11/4 in the £90,000 G3 Investec Diomed Stakes (3.05pm) over an extended mile. The three-year-old son of Street Sense is unbeaten this term, backing up a victory on the All-Weather at Chelmsford in April with a gutsy success in Listed company at Windsor last time out.

 

The £100,000 Investec 'Dash' (3.45pm) is arguably the world's fastest five-furlong event and Irish raider Hathiq for trainer Denis Hogan and Rory Cleary is fancied to capture the contest. Unbeaten in his last two starts, the Exceed And Excel gelding was bought for just £3,000 in January out of Owen Burrows' yard and is the 4/1 favourite with Unibet from 9/2.

 

The Andrew Balding-trained Genetics is the one for each-way money in the £50,000 Investec Out Of The Ordinary Handicap (5.15pm) over a mile and a half following a respectable fifth-placed effort on his return to action at Chester on May 12. Oisin Murphy's mount is 11/1 from 12/1 with Unibet.

 

In the concluding race of the Investec Derby Festival, Investec Asset Management Handicap (5.50pm), Newmarket trainer Roger Varian, who recorded a double on day one of the meeting, is represented by Spanish City. Second at Newmarket on his seasonal debut, the six-year-old Exceed And Excel gelding is a 7/2 shot from 7/1 with Unibet.

 

2.00pm Investec Private Banking Handicap - The Trader 4/1 from 7/1

2.35pm Princess Elizabeth Stakes - Anna Nerium 9/2 from 5/1

3.10pm Investec Diomed Stakes - Bye Bye Hong Kong 9/4 from 11/4

3.45pm Investec Dash - Hathiq 4/1 from 9/2

5.15pm Investec Out Of The Ordinary Handicap - Genetics 11/1 from 12/1

5.50pm Investec Asset Management Handicap - Spanish City 7/2 from 7/1