Loges,

Very open race this year with no stand out juvenile.

I think Cracksman has to be a strong chance.

As you would know, Epsom is a unique course. The straight drops away dramatically from the grandstand side to the inside like a velodrome. Many horses just don't get around it.

Cracksman won a Derby trail there so we know he handles the undulations of Epsom, and he had Permian back in 2nd who then came out and franked the form when he won the Dante which is considered the main Derby trail.

He didn't beat Permian by much in the trail, but Frankie had a bit in the tank so the form is worth more. The trial is over 2000m and he was running on at the end.

The knock would be the fact he doesn't really possess that turn of foot you like to see in a top quality 3yo. But as I said earlier, there is no stand out 3yo, he looks like 2400m will play to his strength, he has already won at Epsom and finally he's trained by one of the best in John Golden.

Cliffs Of Moher looks the main player from Ballydoyle who are mobbed handed this year.

He made his reappearance at Chester and duly won. The win was a bit workmanlike but it was obvious in the paddock he was carrying a bit of condition and as it was his first run as a 3yo and first run for 195 days. I would think he will come on leaps and bounds.

He's by Galileo and we know how important the Derby is to Coolmore. They've elected to keep their best 3yo Churchill to a 1600-2000m campaign which would suggest they have confidence in this colt.

Dubai Thunder from the Speed Bin Suroor yard was hugely impressive when he won a maiden by 10L over 2000m at Newbury on May 19th, on his racetrack introduction

This is obviously a big step up in grade and Im not sure he's seasoned enough for the Derby. But I have a feeling he will run big on Saturday and win lose or draw, he looks an exciting colt going forward.

Add to that, Godolphin are back and back in a big way. I think we are starting to see the result of John Ferguson being appointed CEO, 2 years back, under a major restructuring of the organisation after the drugs saga.

And finally there is Rekindling who is owned by Lloyd Williams and trained by Joseph OBrien who ran 4th in the Dante. I watched him closely in that and he had his head turned out to the right when the rider asked him to go. If he ran straight he would have hit the frame.

I have no doubt he will improve for the run but his form isn't as strong as a few others and he looks a tad one paced. But he's worth keeping an eye on because chances are he will end up in Australia for next year's Cup races.