Andrew Nelis racing

Ed Walker remains convinced there are "big days" ahead for English King despite a second consecutive defeat for the Lingfield Derby Trial winner. Having finished fifth in the Investec Derby, English King was short of room at a crucial stage when fourth to Mogul in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last week. But Walker has not lost any faith in the Bjorn Nielsen-owned colt, and connections will choose between the Grand Prix de Paris and the St Leger as the next target for the son of Camelot..                      Andrew Nelis Racing 

Ed Walker is hoping English King can turn around the Derby form with Khalifa Sat and confirm his Group One potential in the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. The Camelot colt shot to prominence in the Epsom betting after a facile trial success at Lingfield, but he could finish only fifth behind surprise all-the-way winner Serpentine on the big day earlier this month. Khalifa Sat finished second on that occasion, three-quarters of a length ahead of English King - and while Walker's charge was making up ground in the finish, he has full respect for the Derby runner-up..

Surprise Investec Derby winner Serpentine will head to France for his next outing in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris. The Group One on September 13 takes place at ParisLongchamp on the same day as the Prix Vermeille and Prix Foy, but there will be no Prix Niel this season as a result. Serpentine made every yard of the running at Epsom – winning by five and a half lengths, having only broken his maiden a week earlier. “The plan with him is to go for the Grand Prix de Paris on the same day as the Arc trials,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “The lads (owners Coolmore) wanted to keep him at a mile and a half, with a view that he could go for the Arc or something like that. “Santiago, we always had marked down with the Leger – which is why we’re going to Goodwood with him in between – (and) I wouldn’t imagine Serpentine will go the Leger.                        Andrew Nelis racing 

The  Derby  Festival at Epsom is open to a new lead sponsor and naming partner from 2021 after the Jockey Club and Investec agreed to end their 12-year partnership. As well as the Derby itself, sponsorship of the Oaks and the Coronation Cup is up for grabs, with the latter event set to return to Epsom in 2021 having been moved to Newmarket this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. In normal years, the Derby Festival is usually run over two days, with Derby day taking place on the first Saturday in June. This year the meeting was condensed to one afternoon on July 4 and successfully delivered behind closed doors..                        Andrew Nelis Racing .

Ed Dunlop will consider options at home and abroad for Red Verdon following his big-race triumph in France on Tuesday. It is over four years since the chestnut finished sixth in the Investec Derby at Epsom and fourth in the Irish equivalent, before just missing out on Group One glory in the Grand Prix de Paris, run that year at Saint-Cloud. But the well-travelled seven-year-old proved he is no back number when landing a Listed prize at Doncaster a month ago and looked even better in claiming the most lucrative prize of his career in the Group Two Prix Maurice de Nieuil at ParisLongchamp under Frankie Dettori...                    Andrew Nelis Racing 

Serpentine sprang a 25-1 surprise as he made all for a famous victory in the Investec Derby at Epsom. One of six runners for Aidan O'Brien - who was winning the race for an incredible eighth time - Serpentine only shed his maiden tag at the third time of asking last weekend. Turning out just seven days later, Serpentine appeared to be filling the pacemaker role for better-fancied stable companions, including Mogul, with Khalifa Sat and fellow O'Brien contender Amhran Na Bhfiann the only ones to really try to go with him..                        Andrew Nelis racing 

Should Kameko add the Investec Derby to his 2000 Guineas success at Epsom on Saturday, then Andrew Balding's colt will join an elite list. Equine giants such as Nijinsky, Nashwan and Sea The Stars completed the double and the last one to achieve it was Camelot in 2012. Kameko's efforts at Newmarket provided champion jockey Oisin Murphy with a first British Classic, while it was a second for Balding, coming some 17 years after Casual Look won the Oaks. His family is intrinsically linked to the Derby given his father, Ian, trained the brilliant 1971 winner, Mill Reef.

1 AMHRAN NA BHFIANN Sire : Galileo.  Trainer : Aidan O’Brien.  Official rating : --.  Odds : 50-1 Who will add their name to the Derby roll of honour? Positives : His sister, Was, won the Oaks on her third start in 2012, while his brother, Douglas Macarthur, finished seventh in the 2017 Derby after being deployed as a pacemaker. He himself offered something to work on when fourth in a Leopardstown maiden last time, when finishing behind three stablemates who subsequently all made their presence felt in the Irish Derby. His best days are ahead of him. Negatives : Has mountain to climb on form and even his master trainer has not pulled off the trick of winning the Derby with a twice-raced maiden. Indeed, the last maiden to win the race was in 1887. Verdict : Folly to underestimate anything his trainer runs but easy enough to looks elsewhere. 2 EMISSARY Sire : Kingman.  Trainer : Hugo Palmer.  Official rating : 98.  Odds : 33-1 ...