EPSOM FAVOURITES (5 years)
Non-handicap                  Handicap
2yo   12-27	44%   -2.95   2-6	33%    +1.00
3yo    9-24	38%   -3.98   22-66	33%    -8.30
4yo+   4-10	40%   -0.76   24-94	26%   -10.51
TOTAL 25-61	41%   -7.69   48-166	29%   -17.81

TOP 5 TRAINERS at Epsom last 5 years         +/-   E
J Boyle (9%)	17-116	 15%	 -6.08       +6%   0    
A Balding (15%)	15-84	 18%	-23.22       +3%   5     
C Appleby (29%)	10-28	 36%	+24.29       +7%   2    
R Beckett (17%)	 8-44	 18%	-10.67       +1%   4    
G Moore (11%)    7-40    18%    +22.95       +7%   0 

HOT TRAINERS 04/05/2023 to 02/06/2023        +/-   E
M Prescott (16%)   9-14	   64%	  +7.00     +48%   1
A Perrett (10%)	   5-15	   33%	 +19.38     +23%   1
A Nicholls (10%)   5-16	   31%	  +5.12     +21%   1
J & T Gosden (22%) 21-75   28%	 +29.12      +6%   4
A P O'Brien (13%)  20-79   25%	  -7.75     +12%   3

COLD LIST TRAINERS             SAW                 E
S Dixon (7%)                    33    25 days      1
J J Quinn (12%)	                19    13 days      3
Charalambous & Clutterbuck (9%) 17    48 days      1
M Stoute (20%)	                15    15 days      4            

TOP 5 JOCKEYS at Epsom last 5 years          +/-   R 
W Buick (23%)	 16-60	 27%	+19.16       +4%   3     
O Murphy (20%)	 11-55	 20%	 -9.16       +0%   7    
J Hart (12%)	 7-29	 24%	+11.95      +12%   2     
C Fallon (12%)	 7-38	 18%	 -1.87       +6%   0     
T Marquand (15%) 7-50	 14%	 -4.61       -1%   4  

HOT JOCKEYS 04/05/2023 to 02/06/2023         +/-   R
R Moore (18%)   23-77	 30%	 -0.97      +12%   4 
F Dettori (23%) 8-28	 29%	+10.61       +6%   2 
J Crowley (20%) 10-48    21%    +62.59       +1%   1 
K Stott (15%)   12-69    17%    +11.74       +2%   2 

COLD LIST JOCKEYS   SAW                            R               
S Heffernan (6%)     38     20 days                1                
M Ghiani (15%)	     28     13 days                3                

TOP 5 OWNERS at Epsom last 5 years           +/-   E
Godolphin (25%)    11-37   30%   +17.54      +5%   2   
Robert Moss (12%)  6-27    22%   +13.75     +10%   0     
M Mariscotti (19%) 4-10    40%   +17.33     +21%   0     
Inside Track (11%) 4-19    21%    -4.16     +10%   0     
Run Away Rac (33%) 3-3    100%   +11.50     +67%   0      

Next fixtures
Saturday 3 June 2023

Upcoming Racecourse Templates
Windsor (Monday)
Lingfield AW (Tuesday)
Kempton AW (Wednesday)

EPSOM RACECOURSE: Left-handed, undulating, 'U' shaped course, with tight bends. Races up to eight and a half furlongs are very sharp, meaning those ridden prominently hold an advantage, particularly on the five-furlong course, the fastest in the world, which is virtually downhill throughout. Conversely, the first four furlongs of the Derby course are uphill and it provides a real test of stamina, anything over racing in the early part of the race usually found wanting in the closing stages. In testing conditions, the runners tend to switch towards the stands-side rail for the better ground.

FAVOURITES: The sample is small so beware of a literal translation though all numbers have value. Over the past 5 years winning favourites at Epsom show 73-227 for a strike rate of 32.16% and a level stake loss of -£25.50 to a £1 stake.

TRAINERS: J & T Gosden (22%) are in brilliant form and they have 4 runners tomorrow including ARREST 1.30, SHAARA 2.10, MAASAI MARA & TORITO 3.55, but we are not sure they will record a winner despite their form!

Andrew Balding (15%) has 5 runners, Ralph Beckett (17%) has 4 but it is the 2 runners supplied by Charlie Appleby (29%) that we are most interested in! The trainer shows 10-30 for 33% (+22.29) at Epsom. Interesting in that May showed the trainer 12-65 for just 18% against his national average of 29%, but included in those figures were 11 second places and 11 third places. A big day beckons!

COLD LIST TRAINERS: Michael Stoute (20%) is about to join a cold list and currently 0-15 over a period of 15 days, he has 4 runners tomorrow and has place claims in the Derby.

JOCKEYS: William Buick (23%) has 3 rides including the Pacafi, Ryan Moore (18%) and Tom Marquand both have 4 rides. Frankie Dettori (23%) goes for the Classic double and will probably go close but without winning! There will be a grumpy jockey in attendance tomorrow in the shape of Oisin Murphy (20%), he has 7 rides. 

OWNERS: Only Godolphin (25%) from our leader board has runners tomorrow, they include HIGHLAND AVENUE 12.50 & MILITARY ORDER 1.30 and they could easily land a big-race win double!

RED FLAG: MILITARY ORDER is a son of Frankel and has long been touted as a serious Derby contender for Godolphin and he stepped up successfully in class to Listed company when battling to success in the Lingfield Derby Trial 13 May 2023. A brother to the impressive 2021 Derby winner Adayar, Military Order won his maiden at Newmarket at the second time of asking in October last year, before being put away for the winter. He could hardly have made a more impressive return in a 1m2f novice stakes at Newbury last month, after which he was targeted at Lingfield, where the turf course has some similarities - albeit nothing like as severe - to the up and downhill runs and cambers at Epsom. However, waterlogging caused Lingfield's entire meeting to be switched to the all-weather, but Military Order still coped admirably with the synthetic surface, outstaying Ed Walker's very promising Waipiro to win by 1¼ lengths. The form looks strong, with the front pair finishing more than four lengths clear of Michael Stoute's Circle Of Fire, who previously finished second in the Listed Newmarket Stakes. Military Order should be staying on strongly at the finish, and the St Leger distance could also be well within his compass. 

Charlie Appleby said: “We have been delighted with Military Order’s preparation and everything has gone well to date. I’m happy with stall nine, with Auguste Rodin next to us in 10. William [Buick] knows Military Order very well and can hopefully ride a race that plays to the horse’s strengths. We are very much looking forward to the race.” Military Order has arguably achieved more than Adayar had at this stage of his career and heads to Epsom on the back of a clear-cut victory in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial – a race in which his brother finished second before success in the 2021 Derby.

BY THE WAY: Win or lose we believe MILITARY ORDER should be the 7/2 favourite and 9/2 Bar. Could NOT believe the 1.92 Betfair Exchange price to be placed in the top 4, we took that price! SkyBet offer 5 places and 9/2 for the win portion. These look great prices and for us he would have to go wrong for us not to collect, he will be staying on best at the the winning post of that we are sure! We passionately believe he should be the 3/1 or 7/2 favourite for the race, we are on at 5/1.

TIMEFORM COMMENTS: A wide-open renewal with plenty of progressive and unexposed colts but MILITARY ORDER's win at Lingfield was the most convincing of all the trials, so this brother to 2021 Derby winner Adayar has plenty going for him with his stamina guaranteed. Passenger arguably would have won the Dante at York (on only his second career start) had he not been forced to wait for a gap so he is high on the shortlist along with Chester Vase winner Arrest, who should continue to improve.

Balance is at a premium for a horse racing around Epsom and it’s not merely a question of size. Big ones and small ones have it - and some just don’t. Whatever they’re like physically, though, they need to handle the hills, turns and cambers, as this track tests every muscle. Runners really get rolling round Tattenham Corner and, while people say suspect stayers can last home over middle distances, I reckon you have to stay the trip thoroughly to win. A sure-footed speedster is needed for the sprints - Jason Weaver