Ryan Moore column: the inside track on my rides at Epsom

It is obvious that Emily Upjohn is very much the one to beat here. She was probably at her best when beating Westover in this race last season, she shaped well enough in the Sheema Classic on her return and any drying conditions would just add to her chances. But Luxemburg doesn’t have much to find with her if he is on his A-game, although he has to bounce back from a modest run in Meydan last time, admittedly. He is a three-time Group 1 winner and, while his best form has come over 1m2f, he showed he stayed this trip when seventh in the Arc on deep ground a couple of years ago. If the favourite can be beaten, I’d hope my horse is the one to do it, but I do also respect Feed The Flame, as he was very good when he beat Adelaide River in the Grand Prix de Paris last year. He is dangerous.

It’s an open Oaks, I suppose, but I’d say Ylang Ylang fully deserves her place at the head of the market. She was doing all her best work at the finish when winning the Fillies’ Mile on soft ground last season and she again shaped as if a greater test of stamina would suit when fifth in the Guineas, and that is the best form on offer going into this race. By some way. It was a bunch finish at Newmarket but we have already seen the Karl Burke pair of Fallen Angel and Darnation come out and win subsequent Guineas. The 1m4f trip is not certain on pedigree, but I’d be positive on that front, and she is clearly the one to beat for me. Her draw in 12 of 12 is what it is. There are plenty in here with the potential to come up to her level, and I think the betting has it right that Rubies Are Red and Ezeliya are probably the two most dangerous opponents, even if all of these probably have place chances given their profiles. But my filly is in good shape for this.

We all know the horse by now. He may be a 9yo but he won this race last year and he has run well in the Earl of Sefton and Huxley Stakes this season. He could probably do with as little rain as possible from here on in but there is no stand-out in here – unless Royal Scotsman comes back to form, maybe – so he definitely has his chance.

Now, this is an open Derby, everyone can see that, though undoubtedly most of the focus will be on my horse. Perhaps understandably so, given how good he was last year and how he ran in the Guineas. We were clearly all a touch bemused by that performance at the time but hopefully Aidan has got him back to somewhere near his brilliant 2yo best at home, and if he has then he will take all the beating. We always thought this trip would suit him at three but he has to go out and prove it now, and even more so after Newmarket. But there is only one place to find out, and we are here. I think you can make good cases for his stablemate Los Angeles, Ambiente Friendly and Ancient Wisdom, but the ratings tell you that they probably all have to step up on what they have achieved to win an average Derby. That is why so many are fancying their chances here and, outside of them, I’d throw Macduff and Dancing Gemini into the mix, too. Let’s just hope my horse can show his true worth. He is drawn one, but there is no point dwelling on that.