Classic countdown: Twenty-five stand ground for Derby

2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court and beaten Dante favourite The Lion In Winter are on course to clash in the Betfred Derby, for which 25 horses have stood their ground at the latest stage.

Charlie Appleby’s Ruling Court had always been viewed more as a Derby contender through the spring and only took his chance at Newmarket due to some sparkling home work – but the gamble paid off.

He is now in line for a £2million bonus having won the first leg of the Triple Crown, which concludes with the St Leger at Doncaster in September.

The Lion In Winter has leapfrogged his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate Delacroix to once again head the betting after an avalanche of support in recent days, having held that position all winter.

He missed the Guineas and then raced keenly in defeat at York last week, but better is clearly expected at Epsom. O’Brien could also run Lambourn, Puppet Master and Shackleton.

Of The Lion In Winter, O’Brien told Racing TV: “He just ran too fresh really, he was just very keen because it was his first run. He was up in a gear too high, too early.

“He was just about to start coming forward and then the horse from behind him took his ground a little bit. He might have been third without that. He’s been fine since and we were delighted to get the run into him.

“Everything has gone well with Delacroix, he won the Ballysax and then went back and won the Derrinstown (Leopardstown Derby Trial).

“He’s a horse we always thought would get a mile and a quarter and if they are high-class horses there’s a good chance they’ll get a mile and a half.”

Meanwhile, Owen Burrows is plotting an audacious bid with Al Wasl Storm after he opened his account at Chester recently.

The son of Affinisea – who is closely related to high-class former Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune – is owned by Green Team Racing’s Ahmad Al Shaikh, who has seen Khalifa Sat (second at 50-1, 2020) and Hoo Ya Mal (second at 150-1, 2022) both place at long odds in the Epsom Classic, while Deira Mile was fourth behind City Of Troy at 25-1 last term.

“The Derby will be the plan and is what I’m aiming for at the moment,” said Burrows.

“The owner likes to roll the dice and he’s had big-priced horses who have been placed in the past.

“He obviously was a bit of a slow learner on debut at Newbury, but he had misbehaved beforehand and he was very colty. He improved (when second) at Lingfield and I know the winner didn’t set the world alight in the Lingfield Derby Trial but I felt he had taken a step forwards before Chester.

“He was very professional at Chester and skipped round there, so I’m hoping Epsom doesn’t hold any sort of worries for him, but we’re 100-1 for a reason and know it’s a big ask.”

The same owner could also be represented by the Charlie Johnston-trained Green Storm. Johnston has also left in Chester Vase second Lazy Griff.

Ralph Beckett’s Dante winner Pride Of Arras could meet York rivals Damysus, Wimbledon Hawkeye and Nightwalker again.

Saeed bin Suroor’s Tornado Alert, fourth in the Guineas, is another to stand his ground, along with Charlie Fellowes’ French Guineas fourth Luther.