Andrew Asquith made a profit in four out of five Weekend View previews in May for a sensational +31.4pts - don't miss his Epsom tips including in the Betfred Derby.
Weekend View: Saturday June 7
1pt win Royal Dress in 1.00 Epsom at 6/1 (General)
1pt win Ice Max in 1.35 Epsom at 12/1 (bet365, 11/1 Ladbrokes, 10/1 General)
1pt e.w. Stanhope Gardens in 3.30 Epsom at 16/1 (1/5 1,2,3 - General)
The weather forecast in and around Epsom this week is unsettled, with the potential for quite a bit of rain to fall on Thursday, and that could run over into Friday and Saturday morning according to the Met Office.
The ground was updated on Tuesday morning to good, good to firm in places following a dry weekend, while further watering (10mm was applied on Sunday) is set to continue on Tuesday with 5mm to be applied to the home straight and selected areas of the back straight.
Depending on how much rain falls at Epsom from Thursday will obviously have an impact on the ground and you wouldn’t be surprised if there is some sort of soft in the going description when the Derby Festival starts on Friday.
I’m going to go ahead with that in mind and the first horse I like on Saturday is the James Tate-trained Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
Indeed, Skellet has a ‘sexier’ profile, but she was slow to come to hand last season, and again isn’t making her return until June despite the Dahlia Stakes and Middleton Stakes being cited as possible points of return in Ralph Beckett’s stable tour at the start of the season. Furthermore, her half-sisters Skitter Scatter and Victory Dance didn’t really progress with age, so that is in the back of my mind, too.
Royal Dress, however, progressed extremely well as a four-year-old last season, and arguably should have won this race when a close third 12 months ago. She got a torrid run through that day, starting to make good headway in behind rivals in the straight but her run was cut of on more than one occasion, and it was to her testament that she was closing again at the line when getting an opening well inside the final furlong.
She gained some compensation a couple of starts later when winning a Group 3 over nine furlongs at the Curragh, getting a clear run and proving very strong at the finish, while also proving herself equally effective away from soft and heavy ground in the process.
Royal Dress was edgy beforehand and also went down later than everyone else on her return in the Middleton Stakes at York last month, but she proved herself in good order in a race which was blown apart by the exciting See The Fire, and while you can’t say she didn’t stay the longer trip, she certainly isn’t devoid of speed. She shaped like the second best horse that day and that run should have put her spot on for another crack at this.
Given the way she is ridden, luck in-running – especially round here – will be a big factor, but I’m encouraged to see that it looks like James Doyle will be taking over in the saddle on Saturday, who is three from three when riding for the yard this year. She looks a rock-solid option with no concerns regards ground and the more rain that falls the better her chance will be.
Just 35 minutes later the ICE MAX. It is easy to see why he’s been priced up as he is, given he has been well beaten on his last three starts, but he is a horse who has stacks of ability when putting it all together, and I think this looks a good spot for him.
He improved markedly last season, easily winning a couple of early-season handicaps, and confirmed himself a smart performer when beating Poker Face in a soft-ground Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August.
Ice Max proved most determined that day and that form has worked out well with Poker Face going on to win at Listed and Group 2 level since. ittedly, the same can’t be said with Ice Max, but I think it took a lot out of him to win at Goodwood, so I’m not really too concerned with his two below-par efforts after, coming at the end of what was quite a long season for him.
I also didn’t think he shaped badly at all on his return in a strong renewal of the bet365 Mile at Sandown won by Dancing Gemini in April. Ice Max appeared to be carrying condition beforehand, and he just did too much too soon, kept out wide from his wide draw before cutting over to make the running.
He also raced wide on the bend, probably going faster than ideal at that stage of the race, but he was still clear and on the bridle in the straight before his earlier exertions and likely lack of fitness seemingly told. Ice Max was allowed to come home in his own time and should reap the benefits of that outing now.
Ice Max yet to race beyond a mile, but I don’t see this slightly longer distance posing a problem, while he’s another who won’t be inconvenienced by however much rain falls, in fact it will be to his benefit. He has won at tracks like Catterick and Goodwood, so hopefully this idiosyncratic track won’t hinder him, and double-figure odds will look big if the proper Ice Max turns up.
The Dash and Three-Year-Old Dash are races where the pace and draw will have a big say, so I’m not interested in putting up a bet in those races at this stage of the week, so it’s straight into the Betfred Derby.
Delacroix has made his way to the head of the betting in recent weeks, following his wins in the Ballysax Stakes and Derby Trial Stakes, both over a mile and a quarter at Leopardstown so far this season. Interestingly, he hasn’t needed to improve on his two-year-old form to do so, but he will definitely appreciate the step up to a mile and a half.
Stablemate The Lion In Winter failed to meet expectations on his return when only sixth in the Dante Stakes at York behind impressive winner Pride of Arras, Damysus and Nightwalker. However, given Aidan O’Brien’s past exploits with Auguste Rodin and City of Troy, who both disappointed on their reappearance before winning the Derby, it would be folly to write him off.
I’m not interested in any of those at the prices, though, and like many, I’m unsure as to whether 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court will fully stay this much longer trip. It will be interesting to see.
Ralph Beckett has excellent claims with the previously mentioned Pride of Arras, but I also think his STANHOPE GARDENS shouldn’t be discounted at much bigger prices, especially based on his juvenile form.
He was beaten just over five lengths by Ruling Court on his debut over seven furlongs at Sandown and he easily opened his in a lesser race at Beverley next time, looking a potentially smart colt.
Stanhope Gardens confirmed that when beaten a neck in a soft-ground Autumn Stakes at Newmarket by Delacroix, with Nightwalker a further four lengths behind in third. That was a very encouraging run on just his third career start, and he actually looked the likely winner going into the Dip, but Delacroix had the advantage of the rail and just had a bit more know-how than Stanhope Gardens.
He reportedly suffered a little setback which prevented him from running in the 2000 Guineas and the Dante, but he confirmed his well-being in what was really just a racecourse gallop at Salisbury recently. I doubt he will have been anywhere near fully tuned up for that, but I liked the way he lengthened all the way to the line under a hand ride and it will surely have done him the world of good.
That was only two weeks ago, so it is a quick enough turnaround, especially stepping straight into a Derby, but connections have been happy with how he has come out of that race, and he has the potential to improve significantly so for this much longer trip.
There is plenty of stamina on the dam’s side of his pedigree and he looks an athletic type who hopefully will have no problems with the demands of Epsom. Stanhope Gardens doesn't have much at all to find with Delacroix on their Autumn Stakes form and, arguably open to more improvement than that rival, whether he should be as big as 16/1 I'm not sure.
Preview posted at 1530 BST on 03/06/2025
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