O'Brien big guns remain in Derby

The betting markets have been in overdrive over the last few days after Johnny Murtagh was not entirely satisfied with long-time ante-post favourite St Nicholas Abbey.

Stablemate Jan Vermeer has now replaced him at the head of the betting after a smooth success in the Gallinule Stakes.

With Dante winner Cape Blanco and Derrinstown Derby Trial scorer Midas Touch left in, as well as likely pacemakers At First Sight and Bright Horizon, O'Brien has an enviable hand.

As expected, Godolphin paid the 75,000 to supplement Goodwood winner Rewilding, however they also added to the field the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained stablemate Buzzword, fourth in the French Guineas.

Sheikh Mohammed's operation are also set to run Al Zir, with Frankie Dettori booked on Rewilding and Ahmed Ajtebi on the former.

Henry Cecil goes in search of a fifth Derby with Bullet Train, impressive when winning the Lingfield Derby Trial.

In the same Prince Khalid Abdullah ownership is Sir Michael Stoute's Workforce, trying to break a statistic that says no horse ever beaten in the Dante Stakes has won the Derby. Michael Bell's Coordinated Cut falls into the same bracket.

John Gosden's Dee Stakes victor Azmeel and the Mark Tompkins-trained Ted Spread are other trial winners going forward.

Michael Jarvis's Hot Prospect completes the 15 possibles left in the Classic.

Hot Prospect may be a 66-1 outsider, but his trainer Michael Jarvis does not believe the Lingfield Derby Trial third will be disgraced.

"He's obviously an outsider, but he's a good horse in his own right," said the Newmarket handler.

"His price probably reflects his chances but I think he will run respectably.

"Both Classics are wide open this year."

Bryan Smart believes he has another juvenile with Royal Ascot potential on his hands after the victory of Boundless Spirit at Beverley on Saturday.

The Invincible Spirit colt landed the Brian Yeardley Trophy on the Westwood and showed blistering pace in the process.

He was bounced out of the stalls by Royston Ffrench, who stepped into the breach in place of Smart's stable jockey Tom Eaves, who missed several winners over the weekend through food poisoning.

"It looks like he'll be off to Royal Ascot, he seems in good form and has come out of the race well – he seems very well in fact – and I couldn't be more pleased with him," said Smart.

"The owners were telling me it was a very fast time for the race and he was carrying more weight than some of them and they had all won races.

"He had them all off the bridle by halfway. He's a very talented horse.

"You'd have expected him to tie up a little at the end having set such a pace and Ascot isn't as stiff as Beverley anyway."

TODAY'S BEST

DUKE'S DOUBLE

Old McDonald (6.25 Ffos Las), nap and Elshabakiya (2.15 Leicester).

DUKE'S TREBLE

Old McDonald, Elshabakiya and Madany (2.30 Redcar).

JULIUS'S DOUBLE

Whiskey Junction (8.25 Yarmouth), nap and The Jigsaw Man (7.30 Ffos Las).

FORMNAP

West With The Wind (7.30 Ffos Las).