Dee Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Aidan O’Brien has dominated the Dee Stakes over the past decade and a half.

Only three renewals since 2011 have gone the way of another trainer and it is O’Brien who is yet again responsible for saddling the favourite this year.

The master of Ballydoyle is responsible for two runners this time around, namely and Isambard Brunel, and should either win, O’Brien would be landing the prize for a 12th time. He is already the joint winning-most trainer in the race’s history alongside Barry Hills.

The race had a golden spell in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with Oath and Kris Kin landing this on the way to winning the Derby in 1999 and 2003 respectively, but no colt has followed up a Dee Stakes win with victory at Epsom since.

Here is a guide to all the runners in this year's race.

Draw: 6. Official Rating: 96. Odds: 5-1. 

Raced three times as a juvenile, getting off the mark at the second attempt over 7f at Ascot in September before finishing second in Listed company over a mile at Pontefract in October. Entered in the Derby, but yet to race on ground faster than soft.

Steps up two and a half furlongs in trip and it is not easy to say what his optimum distance will be. By a French Derby winner in New Bay but there is plenty of speed in his pedigree too, with his dam being a Dansili half-sister to Coventry Stakes winner Calyx.

Draw: 7. Official Rating: 86. Odds: 22-1. 

Progressed with each of his four runs last year, culminating in a maiden win over a mile at Brighton. Began where he left off when scoring readily at Nottingham on his first try over 1m2f last month but will need to improve again if he is to win this. Drawn widest of all in stall seven and has Tom Marquand on board for the first time

Draw: 2. Official Rating: --. Odds: 5-2. 

Falls into the ‘could be anything’ category, having landed the Wood Ditton on his only start at Newmarket three weeks ago when well-backed. He should have no problem staying the extra two furlongs, being a half-brother to a 1m4f winner. His granddam is the high-class middle-distance performer Shiva, a half-sister to Oaks heroine Light Shift. He looks a colt with considerable untapped potential over middle distances.

Draw: 3. Official Rating: 98. Odds: 10-1. 

The most experienced runner in the lineup, this son of Too Darn Hot raced four times over 7f as a juvenile, winning twice, and has ran twice this year over a mile, finishing second, four lengths behind winner Opera Ballo in February, and fourth, two and a half lengths behind winner Detain at Chelmsford last month.

Worth a try at this trip as there are plenty of middle distance performers in his pedigree , including Winter Derby winner Dubai Warrior, and his dam won over 1m3f.

Draw: 4. Official Rating: 92. Odds: 8-1. 

Has work to do on the figures and Ryan Moore has chosen Mount Kilimanjaro, but he is still trained by Aidan O’Brien, ridden by William Buick, and open to improvement, so would be dangerous to rule out.

Two of his half-siblings stayed this far and his dam stayed 1m4f and is a sister to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Found. Raced three times at two, getting off the mark at the third attempt when making all to win comfortably over a mile. Wears a first-time tongue tie.

Draw: 1. Official Rating: 100. Odds: 14-1. 

Progressive son of Territories that won twice over 7f at two before finishing fifth in the Horris Hill Stakes on heavy ground. Reappeared with a fine third in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on good ground over 1m2f last month.

Was held up last time, but given he probably wants further than this, it would be no surprise should he be ridden prominently by Kieran Shoemark should he break on terms from stall one.

Draw: 5. Official Rating: 109. Odds: 13-8. 

Sets the standard on his second-placed effort behind stablemate Twain in the Group One Criterium International in October. That form is the best in this race but hard to gauge exactly how good; the third has been well beaten since but the fourth has won a Group 3 this spring.

Reappeared in an ordinary Dundalk race in March and could only manage third when sent off at odds of 1-4, but should strip fitter for that run and this step up in trip is likely to suit, being out of a Galileo mare that stayed 1m4f. Likely to race prominently and the choice of Ryan Moore.

Given Aidan O’Brien’s dominant record in this race and his start to the Chester May meeting, Mount Kilimanjaro is likely to prove very popular and undoubtedly sets the form standard, but at bigger odds, it may pay to side with the impeccably bred High Stock. He ran to a good figure on debut and should improve for this step up in trip and is highly regarded by Andrew Balding, who saddled three winners at Newmarket on Saturday. Hott Shott has ran two good races in defeat this year and may round out the places.

1 High Stock. 2 Mount Kilimanjaro. 3 Hott Shott.