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Alex Scott's NAP of the day on Thursday
By Alex Scott
Last Updated: Wed 15 Jul 2026
Epsom looks set for much better weather on Thursday than the track got for their biggest meeting last month, and there is another Derby taking place too, the Betfred Ladies’ Derby Handicap, due off at 7.30 on Racing TV.
It looks a good contest for the grade and a decent betting heat, but there surely isn’t a better handicapped horse running in Britain on the day than EPICTETUS, who can be backed at 13-2 and looks an each-way bet to nothing if he can get anywhere near the form he showed for John and Thady Gosden.
Jamie Osborne’s six-year-old has been dropped a further 2lb by the handicapper since his latest run, where he finished fifth at Sandown over a mile when attracting some market support.
Frankie Dettori and Epictetus return victorious at Epsom three years ago. (Pic: Mark Cranham - focusonracing.com)
That run was an improvement upon the effort he had put up at York previously where he never got involved, and prior to that, he had been running consistently well, placing on multiple occasions without winning and seeing his mark ultimately plateau.
Those creditable efforts seem to have been forgotten about though, and it could be that he needs a stronger test of stamina at this stage of his career. He looked to be crying out for further when he finished third at Lingfield over nine furlongs in May, doing his best work late on.
Rated 113 at his peak, he won the Blue Riband Derby Trial here in 2023, was fifth in the Dante and won the Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood that same year.
Though he has not won since and is not the force of old, he runs off 77 here, and another positive is that his record on fast ground is much more encouraging than many at a shorter price in this race. His high draw is also a positive here on quick ground and he can outrun his odds.
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