I do not use shops anymore given the ease and comfortability in one's home using one's laptop. Also, I get terribly embarrassed walking into and out of a bookie on the high street. Gambling is a pastime frowned upon by family and some friends.

With regards to Illinois I do not foresee him as a suitable replacement for Kyprios if the latter is an absentee. To me he's a plodder, and also lacks a bit of class; Los Angeles (Voltigeur) and Jan Brueghel (Leger) - both were my selections - beat him on merit.

My selection for the Gold Cup will be Jan Brueghel (classy but slightly enigmatic). However, with the strength of AOB Jan Brueghel might not turn up; the promotion of Illinois to fav is telling too. But, prices of 11 and 10 (here) for Jan Brueghel could be rewarding for the brave (or foolish).

I was very impressed by Ralphs colt in the Dante.
Travelled strongly, went through a tight gap, quickened well, and stayed on strongly. Should improve on just his two starts.
If The Lion In Winter had produced that performance he would be a very short favourite.

Here’s my take on the Dante and the runners involved. For me it was a pig of a race and it could well house the winner of the Epsom classic, but I’ll wait and see what unfolds as the bunched finish doesn’t look good.
However there is one I’d take from it who I’d liked before and the formline could be good. Sounds a slight contradiction I know.

I’ll start with the proximity of the 100/1 shot Devil’s Advocate (aptly named for the theme). He cut out the running and was keen also like Lion, surged clear rounding the bend and stayed in really well. He was cut up the same as Lion in his run yet still managed to stay on ahead of him at the finish. Very few horses got by him when you’d expect him with the long straight at York to be swallowed up and disappear out the back. It didn’t happen. Alarm bells for me!!

Never been to York is there a slight undulation along the earlier part of the home straight? Those with experience can answer this.

My concern for Pride Of Arras was that he looked very fit, watch as he crosses the line, every rib is glistening and you see every sinew under his belly. He’s very lightly raced so can improve but how much more fitness wise I’m not sure.
He’s a good yard stick for Beckets other runner Stanhope Gardens.

For me it was another bad ride from Shoemark aboard the second Damasus. He covered more ground and was well behind the winner following the wrong horse (Lion) and like in the Guineas reacted to slowly when the race was unfolding. I think that with a better ride he could possibly have won. Ryan took no prisoners on bursting through and Kieron might have to be less of a gent in future.

I’d worry about the temperament regarding Lion In Winter, not because of the pulling but he gets really worked up, maybe this will remove the fizz, but Epsom will be even more of a test. Earplugs/hood?

For me he found nothing when the race got going and was very disappointing, he got squeezed out when the gap was there, was it due to Ryan going easy over the undulation, these things all coincided. Rosa was really bobbing up and down at this point and he horse was too, before the surge.

I’d of expected to see more when asked from the Lion. After yes Ryan looked after him, but still he didn’t move forwards past the 100/1 pacemaker or Tuscan Hills for that matter.

He had some sign of rib in the paddock, so will drop some KG’s but I believe that people are backing him in blind faith based on this running that Aiden can work the same feat he has done the last two seasons before.

After the long lay off will Pride Of Areas bounce? Is that why Aiden is so soft with the re introduction to his runners after the break? It’ll be fascinating to see how the two trainers approaches play out.

As a race it was a mess and I’m happy to throw my thoughts out there on how I see it.

I’ve not had a bet (but would like two with the two races being a day apart Derby/Jockey Club it suits a double) and I might not bother, as I’m waiting to see what unfolds.

Either way all the shenanigans with the price shifts is pretty desperate to get bigger odds again, where was your faith lads in the beginning that you have to get him bumped back out to 5/1!
The song by Bob Marley - Want More comes -  to mind! Oh the greed of the rich! Must be like some sort of sustenance, but I’ll tell you this, none of you look well for it!

The more you look at it, the more suspect it looks! … and then this plunge yesterday.

Take the form line to Delacroix through Weavers Nightstalker!

It’s a pistake surely outta everyone

AOB has intimated 3 would go to Epsom ie The Lion In Winter, Delacroix and Lambourn. It will be hard for Moore not to ride Delacroix; everything has gone right for TLIW since The Dante.

I’ve more interest now in the Prix Du Jockey Club and will be hoping for favourable draws. Probably won’t bother having a bet on this now.

Was hoping to do a Derby / Jockey Club double until the mix up with the dates!

Wings of Eagles was twice raced however, the bottom wasn’t known. It’s why I was interested to see if Stay True would get added. Should have been unbeaten like Wings of Eagles entering the derby. Still one of these days a colt not entered in the derby that runs in a trial will be supped.

Good that you haven’t given up on it and that Doyle is fit and well, even if I haven’t backed him. At least you’ll get a run for your nice odds secured.

You had wondered that when the Lion shortened post Dante. As he said also - “they haven’t done their last pieces of work, plus a lot can happen to a horse in 72 hours!”

Paul there’s an update on the Sporting Life about your two fancies.

Thanks Delashay , very easy canter .

Video clip on post site , Derby Festival , 19hrs ago - Maddy Playe post from X . Not alot to see mind .

Field of 20 for the Prix du Jockey Club after two Supped, the Hannon Colt as mentioned last night.
One for Fabre an easy once raced maiden winner over a mile. He also has Nitoi in the same Wertheimer silks.
Was 25/1 last night with Joes & Lads - now got la chop to 16/1 before any other books have them priced!

Now 12/1’s with Lads & Joe’s and the SportsB not laying a bean!

To think this article was posted on the RP two ago before the whispers…

Goldikova silks set to be sported by two key trial winners in €1.5 million French Derby on Sunday

The powerful stable of Alain and Gerard Wertheimer looks set to have at least two runners in next Sunday's €1.5 million Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, with two key trial winners on course for France's version of the Derby.
The famous blue and white 'Goldikova' silks have enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, both with older horses in the shape of Sosie and Aventure, as well as a clutch of promising middle-distance three-year-olds.
Uther and Nitoi finished one-two in the Prix Noailles at Longchamp in April and, while the runner-up then went on to dominate a Listed race over half a furlong shy of the Jockey Club trip at Chantilly, things did not go so smoothly for the winner next time out in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud.

Wertheimer racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau told the Racing Post: "With the caveat they've all yet to do their last piece of work, at this stage we're expecting to run Nitoi after his win in the Prix de Suresnes, and also Uther, who didn’t run as badly as first appeared in the Greffulhe.
"Things didn’t go right for him early on, when he found himself some way off the pace, before coming home strongly."
Retained jockey Maxime Guyon has elected to ride the Andre Fabre-trained Nitoi on both his starts this season, though it will not necessarily be a straightforward choice when it comes to discarding Uther, a Camelot half-brother to Sosie who is highly regarded by trainer Christophe Ferland.
"Those two look likely and it wouldn’t bother Uther if we got a bit of rain," said Bureau, who also left the door ajar for a third runner if circumstances were favourable. "More than that, we’ll keep an eye on how things develop during the week, but those two are intended if all goes well."

Nitoi was initially made 6-1 joint-favourite in the wake of his win in the Suresnes, a race which has provided two recent Jockey Club winners in Sottsass and Ace Impact. But as more firms have priced up the race he is now available at 16-1, while Uther drifted to 20-1 in the wake of his Greffulhe reversal behind Midak.
The most recent of the Wertheimer family's three successes in the Jockey Club came with the Fabre-trained Intello and Olivier Peslier in 2013, while Guyon's sole victory was in 2010 aboard Lope De Vega at the age of 21.
Currently boasting 151 entries, the Jockey Club picture will begin to become clearer on Monday morning at the first forfeit stage, followed by a second cut on Tuesday, with supplementary and penultimate declarations on Wednesday, and the final field and draw on Thursday.

Meanwhile there’s been no news on the Lazy Post about the supplementary’s for a Group s1 race that always has an impact on the Arc market.

Instead  an hour ago they posted this :

Gold Cup one-two Inothewayurthinkin and Galopin Des Champs share top billing in end-of-season Anglo-Irish jumps classifications

‘zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Next, fav for The Arc?

You should also note that he isn’t entered for much other than this ;)

Nitoi is thought of more as a mile and a half type. Like Sosie going into last years Jockey Club.

Having had a good look I think Aidan's getting a bit desperate this year.  Lion looked edgy before the Dante I think he might have had enough and might not be best at 12f anyway.  Massive respect to Ruling Court, he's a Guineas winner but got to be a chance Wreckett Ralph finally gets his Derby winner.  I was fortunate enough to get on Pride Of Arras antepost before the Dante and he's going to be bang there, no question.  However he's also thrown in Stanhope G which stirs the pot a bit.  Can anyone convince me he's getting thrashed by Pride on the gallops so I can rest easy?  Trainers with a classy 3yo often have more than one in the yard.  Maybe he's going to have the 1-2 although I hope the Dante hero comes out on top.  Good luck everyone!

Camille Pissaro got one and the Fabre Supp lucked out in 4! 

Only four horses have won from 11 or higher since the race distance changed from 1m4f to 1m2½f in 2005.

Not sure if Blue Stocking winning the Arc was good for racing or the race! Worst winner I’ve seen. I wouldn’t be grudge him winning his first derby however.