Epsom selections Saturday 6th June
This looks like being the wettest Derby Day for some time and for the first time I can remember it looks certain horses will be coming down the stands side for the big race in particular. That is good news for trainer Ralph Beckett who has two horses proven on soft ground on the card including a sporting each-way bet in the Classic.
Epsom 3.15: Arklow Lad & Dionysius
Given the prevailing going, it looks sensible to concentrate on those drawn in double figures nearest to the stands side where the driest ground is likely to be.
ARKLOW LAD has in theory the plumb draw in 20. This 4yo colt did not get going until last July, but has been busy since and is definitely on the upgrade. He won a soft ground maiden at Bellewstown in the autumn which augurs well for his ability to handle conditions today.
Sold to the Horse Watchers over the winter, he has already bagged two wins, including one on good-to-soft at Pontefract where the stamina just lasted out long enough over that stiff 5f. Since then he has run with great respect on faster ground at York and can race off the same mark of 86 today. He is not a front-runner, so luck in running will be required, but there is still mileage in his mark and conditions won’t be a problem for this colt.
DIONYSIUS was a heavy ground winner in his native France on his last start before joining Ian Williams. Having taken time to acclimatise to his new surroundings, he has certainly been improving throughout 2026 for his new stable and this looks an ideal challenge for him.
Third in Dubai over the winter, he resumed in the UK with a second place at Newmarket at the Craven meeting and showed his ability to handle a downland track when filling the same place at Goodwood last time. His one poor run came in between times at Ripon where fast ground was given as the excuse for his poor showing. Stall 15 looks a decent berth.
Epsom 4.00 Bay of Brilliance & Benvenuto Cellini
To me BENVENUTO CELLINI looks the best horse in the race and the only thing likely to stop him winning is an absolute downpour during the afternoon. That is possible though, so I will also be having an each-way play on the proven mudlark BAY OF BRILLIANCE.
Benvenuto was only really getting going in the final 2f when landing the Chester Vase last time, a race Aidan O’Brien has really targeted in recent seasons with his Derby hopefuls. Stamina is therefore guaranteed, the only issue is the going as he seemed to find heavy conditions at Doncaster too tough in the Futurity last autumn.
That said, I doubt the ground will get quite that bad today and this horse is probably the only one in the race who can lie up with a fast pace and then extend when asked. He looked brilliant when taking the Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend last season.
Bay of Brilliance was narrowly defeated in the Lingfield Derby Trial on his last start, but that effort confirmed he is a thorough stayer and he did have to contend with going much faster than he will find today. Both successes last season were gained on testing ground and he looks a relentless galloper.
Admittedly he did not need to be up to much to win at Redcar, albeit his 8l win was an absolute trouncing of the opposition and the second home that day, Poker, actually reopposes today. However it was his win over 10f at Goodwood on soft going that marked him down with the potential here. Every drop of rain that falls will be in his favour as any sort of stamina test will suit him more than anything in the line up.
Epsom 4.40: Hell Yeah He Did
The same connections responsible for Bay of Brilliance have the leading contender for the next in HELL YEAH HE DID.
This race represents a seasonal debut and first appearance in a handicap, but there is surely more to come from Beckett’s charge who has been gelded since some useful efforts as a juvenile. His first real sign of promise came when second on heavy ground at Salisbury on his second run back in September. He was tried over as far as this 10f next time at Pontefract where he seemed to see out the distance perfectly well when third.
A lack of opportunities over the distance meant he dropped back to a mile for his final run at Nottingham where he made no mistake, once again on soft going. His opening mark of 85 looks fair and whilst he did not always look straight forward last term, that gelding might well bring about considerable improvement.
Epsom 5.20: Spinning Wheel
Some classy sorts in the Northern Dancer, particularly SPINNING WHEEL who could well progress into pattern company this season, at least when the ground is on the soft side.
He made a perfectly decent start to his new campaign when chasing home Valedictory at Goodwood last time, a strong effort considering the ground was drying out fast that afternoon. He showed his aptitude for cut in the ground when winning at Leicester on his final start of 2025 getting the better of Hopewell Rock in a sustained duel.
In time this horse will no doubt want further – he is entered in the Northumberland Plate at the end of the month, but a combination of softening ground and a stiff, undulating track should bring his stamina enough into play today.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Arklow Lad – 3.15 Epsom –9/1 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Dionysius – 3.15 Epsom – 14/1 Betfred, William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt win – Benvenuto Cellini – 4.00 Epsom – 9/4 Unibet
1pt each-way – Bay of Brilliance – 4.00 Epsom – 16/1 general (1/5 odds 1st 3)
1pt win – Hell Yeah He Did – 4.40 Epsom – 100/30 general
1pt each-way – Spinning Wheel – 5.20 Epsom – 11/2 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
