Sea the Stars, by Cape Cross out of an Urban Sea mare, was an easy winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, earning a quote of as low as 5/2 for the 2009 renewal of the Epsom Derby from some bookmakers.

The fact that the son of Cape Cross, Sea the Stars will go straight to the Epsom Derby, will leave many punters pondering as to whether he will get the trip. Oxx's horse is a half-brother to Epsom Derby hero Galileo, the 12f winner Black Sam Bellamy and All Too Beautiful, who simply failed to see out the trip in the 2004 Epsom Oaks. That race, however, was won by Ouija Board, who is also by Cape Cross, out a Welsh Pageant mare. MJ Kinane is on the record as saying that he wished the race were run over 10fs. Classy sort, but class alone will not win him the race against a field that is replete with stamina. Having said that, if he does stay, he could turn out to be one of the best Derby winners of the last twenty years. Currently trading on Betfair as 3.90.

The 2009 season may yet give Sadlers Wells another winner of the Epsom Derby, in the shape of Black Bear Island, who, as a half-brother to Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral, is a direct representative of the Sadlers Wells/Mill Reef bloodline. He landed the Dante Stakes at York, coming off the pace to run down his stablemate Freemantle close home. Certain to appreciate the step upto 1m4f at Epsom, and looks nailed on to reach the frame; not least, when one considers the speed that he showed in the final furlongs of the Lingfield race.

His stablemate, Fame and Glory, also represents the Sadlers Wells/Mill Reef bloodline cross,in that he is by Montjeu, a son of Sadlers Wells, out of the Shirley Heighs mare Grayda. As low as 2/1 for the Epsom Derby, the Derrinstown Stakes winner has done nothing but progress, although how much more improvement there is to come is open to conjecture. He has taken the same route to Epsom as O'Brien's previous winners Galileo and High Chapparal, and Seamus Heffernan who won the Derrinstown on O'Brien's Derby winners, Galileo and High Chaparral, in 2001 and 2002 recently said of him; "Fame And Glory won the trial as impressively as Galileo or High Chaparral," said Heffernan. "He is at the same stage of readiness, in that he wasn't trained to peak at Leopardstown. After their trial races some horses need more time, but this fella has gone the right way. Whoever gets past him at Epsom will know about it." Ticks all of the right boxes and the one to be on if you like to play things safe.

Two thousand Guines third Gan Amhras, a son of Galileo, out of a Darshaan mare, also represents the Sadlers Wells/Mill Reef bloodline cross. He is also certain to appreciate the step upto 1m4f at Epsom, and it could be argued, given his pedigree, that his run in the 2000 Guineas was the most impressive, vis a vis his chances at Epsom. There are two schools of thought regarding Bolger's Gan Amhras. Firstly, the belief that he was hard-fit for the Guineas and has little scope to improve. Second, that he came to hand just before the Guineas and is another New Approach. One week before the 2000 Guineas he was supported down to 10/1 from 40/1. On the eve of the Derby with opposition building to the front three in the betting market, he is again the one for the money, trading as low as 6/1 from an early morning best-price of 9/1.

Masterofthehorse, also represents the Sadlers Wells/Mill Reef bloodline cross, being by Sadlers Wells, out of the Shirley Heights mare Shouk. He turned in a below par performance in the the Racing Post Trophy, but previous to that he had finished close behind Derby favourite Sea The Stars in the Beresford Stakes. He was the subject of some controversy in the Chester Vase, when his pilot Murtagh, hels him up too far off the pace, and failed to get up to beat his stablemate Golden Sword, who was returned at 25/1. It would be no surprise whatsoever were he to show significant improvement next time out. He is a full-brother to Alexandrova. The mount of Richard Hughes, who is capable of riding a very bad race.

Lingfield Dery Trial winner Age of Aquarius began his career by winning an ordinary Dundalk maiden. He consequently finished fourth behind Fame And Glory the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, which was run on heavy ground. He showed both inexperience and resilience when landing the Lingfield Derby trial, and he is open to further improvement. Age of Aquarius is by Galileo, a son of Sadlers Wells, out of a Top Ville mare. The Sadlers Wells/Top Ville cross produced top European racehorse Montjeu, and the 56/1 winner of the 2004 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (Group 1), run at Sha Tin - River Dancer. Does he have the tactical speed to win a Derby? And how much improvement is there to come?

Professional punters are only too aware of the importance of a stoutely bred dam to the staying potential of Sadlers Wells progeny. It is likely that the same requirement applies to his offspring such as Galileo. Rip Van Winkle, by Galileo, does not have the requisite stamina on the dam side to warrant a quote of 7/2. The mount of three time Derby winning jockey Johnny Murtagh.

And what of the outsiders? Beleagured Godolphin are represented by Kite Wood, by Derby winner Galileo out of a Mark of Esteem mare. A promising sort when trained by Michael Jarvis at two, he needed the run when finishing fifth behind Black Bear Island in the Dante Stakes at York. Certain improvement to come, but he is by no means certain to see out the trip.

Debussy, who is by Dewhurst Stakes winner Diesis, sire of Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks winners Diminuendo and Ramruma, and is trained by Derby winning trainer John Gosden, is currently trading on Betfair at 79.0. This many not be a true representation of his chances, however, given that Gosden's charge won the Epsom Derby trial over the course in May. He subsequently finished third behind Golden Sword in the Chester Vase, when he did not seem suited to the fast ground, or the tight track. There have been worse 66/1 shots in the Derby field and it would be no surprise whatsoever were he to hit the frame at big odds.

Crowded House, who may still take his chance in the Derby, despite flopping at York, is uncertain to stay the Derby trip, given that he is by a Woodman mare on the dam side. Everything to prove at this stage, and the presence of Spencer on his back does little to inspire confidence.

The O'Brien trained Golden Sword, is by Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral, out of a Salse mare. Was allowed to dictate terms when landing the Chester Vase on his sixth career start. Is unlikely to have things his own way at Epsom, and if, as expected, he is in the field to act as a pacemaker for O'Brien's more fancied runners, he may represent an interesting in-running proposition on Betfair.

And finally Montaff, trained by Mick Channon, who is by Montjeu out of a Gulch mare. On only his third start he finished a neck second to the O'Brien trained Age of Aquarius in the Lingfield Derby trial. Open to improvement and no suprise were he to run a better race than his current odds of 66/1 suggest.

Result 2009 Derby 1 - Sea The Stars 2 - Fame and Glory 3- Masterofthehorse

Regarding the 2009 Epsom Derby and the issue of dosage, the main talking point concerns Sea the Stars' dosage index of 3.00, and the fact that he does not score any points in the stamina part of his dosage profile. In recent times, horses such as Benny the Dip and Erhaab have won the Derby with similar profiles, however, it should be noted that they both had a significantly higher number of total dosage points than Sea the Stars.