Derby day, Sat 7 June at 4pm and I was sitting here wondering how to pick the winner. Past history told me that it’s not going to be an outsider. Epsom derby betting fans know, only too well, that this is always a race for serious mounts and in any Derby there are at least three or four short-odds horses that can win and only once has a horse longer than 7-1 won. The winning horse needs a good middle draw. Generally avoid those on the edges of the stalls.

Winners of the Dee or Derrinstown Stakes are up there with the prime contenders. Tajaweed won the former and Casual Conquest won the latter. Tajaweed might have a dodgy foot though so I listened out for news on that. Three of the last four Derby winners won the Dante Stakes and Tartan Bearer was this year’s winner with Frozen Fire coming a close second. Curtain Call has been aimed at this race and won his trial at Nottingham with considerable ease. Doctor Fremantle took the Chester Vase last month and accelerated well. Lots of punters rushed to this horse when jockey, Johnny Murtagh chose it as his mount.

If Henrythenavigator was running a lot of people would be putting their money on him. New Approach was second to this horse in both the English and Irish 2000 Guineas and, I thought, wouldn’t be far from the front. Rio De La Plata, ridden by Frankie Dettori, was second in the French 2000 Guineas and Frankie’s been here before and won it.

So, Horse Racing Betting Fans, at time of writing, we now know that New Approach came in first, giving a tough ride by Tartan Bearer. This was a thinker to pick.