O’Brien well-represented in bid to stop Dawn Approach

Dawn Approach, the impressive Qipco 2000 Guineas winner remains unbeaten in his seven-race career and will attempt to follow in the hoofprints of his sire, New Approach, who won the race in 2008.

In an attempt to foil Dawn Approach and their big rivals Godolphin, Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore field five – although Irish Guineas winner Magician has been taken out, as had been expected.

Chief Ballydoyle hope appears to be Battle Of Marengo, winner of the Derrinstown Derby Trial and ridden by Joseph O’Brien.

Ruler Of The World, impressive at Chester, will be partnered by Ryan Moore, with Richard Hughes on Mars.

Seamie Heffernan receives the leg-up aboard stablemate Festive Cheer, with Colm O’Donoghue on Flying The Flag.

Dettori had been riding out at O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stables, but he was not considered for a Derby ride after his planned comeback at Leicester on Monday last week was delayed by France Galop, the French racing regulator, because of an unspecified reason.

Declarations for tomorrow’s Derby meeting had to be made by 10am yesterday – and O’Brien had to finalise his riding plans by then.

Libertarian, trained near Leyburn by Karl and Elaine Burke, is the leading British-trained contender after his win in the Dante at York.

German raider Chopin was supplemented on Monday after being purchased by Sheikh Fahad Al Thani’s Qatar Racing Ltd.

Andre Fabre, successful two years ago with Pour Moi, runs the unbeaten Ocovango, with Galileo Rock, Ocean Applause and Mirsaale completing the field. The latter is a first runner in the race for Harrogate-born James Tate, a nephew of the legendary trainer Michael Dickinson.

Conditions at Epsom have eased considerably throughout the week, with clerk of the course Andrew Cooper now calling the ground good to soft, soft in places.

This can only help the prospects of Libertarian who is bidding to become Yorkshire’s first Derby winner since 1945. A proven stayer, soften conditions will dent the speed of the market leaders.

“We’ve had nearly an inch of rain this week,” said Cooper yesterday.

“I have walked it in the morning and you’d have to call it good to soft, soft in places.

“The year High Chaparral won (2002) was undoubtedly the softest Derby I’ve had and this year will be similar. I can’t see the Derby now being run on anything appreciably better than good to soft.”