Derby Day tips: Dave Nevison's best bets for Epsom

There are enough highly promising horses in this year’s Betfred Derby to lift a slightly quiet build-up to the race and I am hoping for an impressive winner - my selection, hopefully - to inject some star quality into the season. However, from a punting perspective I am hoping that

Ziggy

will bring me some stardust in the handicapper’s Derby in the one after the big event! Good luck with whatever you are playing - and remember to bet responsibly.

has been rated high enough to run well in Listed and Group races in the past 12 months but has not really made the transition and seems to be more comfortable in handicaps. However, because of largely moderate runs in better company his handicap mark has dropped from 107, from which he ran an excellent second in this famous Derby Day contest last season, to 8lb lower this year.

This five-year-old finished really strongly two starts ago in a similar grade race at Bath followed by a slightly unlucky fifth at Musselburgh. Like so many of these Silkie Wilkie is a horse who likes to be up with the pace, without being an out and out front runner, but his experience in last year's race will be invaluable and it is very interesting that his excellent trainer Karl Burke applies cheekpieces for the first time. 

Twelve months ago, I stuck with Auguste Rodin after he ran poorly in the 2000 Guineas, but I cannot be with City Of Troy after he did the same this year - not only because of the unexplained poor run but also because of my RacingTV colleagues' negative observations about him in the paddock beforehand. I am sticking with Aidan O’Brien though and make the percentage call in this year’s race.

This colt won a Group One over 10f in France last back-end and will definitely stay the Derby trip - in fact he will surely be well suited by it. He reappeared this season with a win in the Leopardstown Derby Trial where he started at odds on and kept his unbeaten record in straightforward style. 

This year’s small-field renewal of the City and Suburban Handicap looked a relatively inconsequential event at first glance, runner-up appearing to run a perfectly decent second on his return from an absence. But the form certainly looks a lot stronger now and with the winner going in again most impressively and the fifth-placed horse winning a nice handicap at Sandown. That is able to run off the same mark again here now looks generous. 

It looks very much as though Harry Eustace, his impressive young trainer, has given him a little time to get over that return and aimed Ziggy at this "handicapper’s Derby". With Richard Kingscote, who has won the Derby, and scored on him twice already, keeping the ride I am expecting a very big run. 

peaked when placed in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last season and looks to be building up to top form judged on his latest couple of runs. He was narrowly beaten on the All-weather at Kempton and then last time ran a good fourth at Newmarket without getting the run of the race on the outside.

He is rated higher on artificial surfaces, but this Epsom six-furlong track may well suit his running style. Veteran rider Pat Dobbs has been in good form recently and has been on Mums Tipple before and off a 3lb lower mark than last year’s Wokingham the combination should go well.