Catching Pigeons: Mogul the one for Investec Derby at Epsom

Mogul looks the value bet to beat the poorly drawn market leader English King in the Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

Aidan O'Brien has a phenomenal record in the premier classic and once again has a powerful team with which to battle the home players, headed by Ed Walker's star three-year-old.

However, he seems a quite skinny price in what looks an open race, and Mogul has long been regarded as O'Brien's best chance of landing an eighth success for Coolmore, even though his comeback outing at Royal Ascot did not suggest as much.

He could only finish fourth to another of today's rivals Pyledriver, but there was much talk before the race that he would need the race quite badly, and he duly blew up before finishing only fourth.

From all reports, he has come on plenty for the outing, and it seems significant that Ryan Moore rides him rather than the Royal Ascot winner Russian Emperor.

O'Brien will have a good idea where he stands with the favourite through Berkshire Rocco, who was beaten the same distance by Mogul's (thought to be inferior) stablemate Santiago in the Queen's Vase at the Royal meeting as he was by English King in the Lingfield Derby Trial, and all the reports suggest Mogul has come on a lot for his reappearance.

Frankly Darling was touted as John Gosden's main contender for the Oaks before her win in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot, and she looks the one to be on in the Investec-sponsored Fillies Classic.

The daughter of Frankel did well to stride clear in the closing stages that group 2 Trial after taking a strong hold in the early stages, and she could well surprise the 1,000 Guineas heroine Love, who may have won that race by a wide margin, but the form has taken a knock or two since.

Reputation can bring a cracking afternoon's sport to a successful conclusion in the Investec Zebra Handicap.

It is often an advantage to have a proven performer on this course in tricky handicaps and Reputation has shown that ability during his spell with John Quinn. He moved on to Ruth Carr for the start of last season, and made a great start for his new trainer with an emphatic win at Ripon, though it has to be said he did not add to that success in nine subsequent outings.

Although he ran some good races in defeat, his form fell away to the end, and he now looks to launch his 2020 campaign with another new handler Ian Williams, off a mark a 1lb lower than his start with Carr.

Williams has a knack of rejuvenating horses with a few miles on the clock, and Reputation showed 12 months ago that he does run well after a change of scenery.

Golden Melody can take a successful drop in class in the Bet365 Fillies Novice Stakes at Haydock. The William Haggas camp were quietly confident of a big run in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot after a debut win on easy ground on this course last month, but she faded after figuring prominently for much of the race to finish seventh behind runaway winner Dandalla. James Doyle did not give her a hard race when she started to feel the heat, and this drop in grade and step up to seven furlongs should suit.

Tacitly is just preferred to local rivals Incognito and Risk Taker in the Cash Out at Bet365 Handicap. By Dubawi out of the very well bred and talented Timepiece, she proved a little disappointing at Lingfield after a respectable effort at Kempton on her only other start. It does mean however, that she starts the season on a mark of only 72, and she looks well worth another chance, especially as she steps back to seven furlongs.

Andew Balding's Barossa Red is a consistent performer and should step upon his comeback effort at Chelmsford in the My Alerts Handicap. The son of Tamayuz seems to act well on this course and he will appreciate the return to a mile and the soft ground. The fact that smart apprentice William Carver is claiming 5lbs is another plus.

Surrey Pride ran to a useful level of form on his two outings as a juvenile and is fancied to go well at a decent each-way price in the Each-Way Extra at Bet365 Handicap. A winner of what has turned out to be a decent novice at Bath of his final start, he looks to have a workable mark of 80 and looks one to keep an eye on in the weeks and months ahead, whatever his fate here.

Snazzy Jazzy is just preferred to Bielsa in the Each Way Extra At Bet365 Conditions Stakes at Haydock on Sunday. Clive Cox's speedster is on great terms with herself at present, and looks to have found a good opportunity to break her duck for the campaign. She will be shraper for her creditable fourth to Space Blues here last month, and the easy ground will be to her advantage.

Star In The Making, a stablemate of Snazzy Jazzy, may not have quite lived up to her name so far, but she shaped well on her comeback when second at Leicester, and is fancied to go one better in the Coral Backing Prostate Cancer Handicap at Sandown.

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