After pleasant surprise at York we could have a strong hand in the Epsom Classics – though Derby picture is murky

IT’s fair to say we got the most pleasant of surprises up at York during the week.

We went from having potentially nothing for the Oaks to a very lively contender after Secret Satire won the Musidora.

Richard Pelham / The Sun

Andrew Balding has had a good week on the track[/caption]

I was pretty confident she would finish in the first three, despite going off a 22-1 shot, as she’d been showing up very well on the gallops at home.

But for her to win as decisively as she did, in one of the main trials for Epsom, was very pleasing indeed.

Whether or not she is joined in the race by our lovely filly Kalpana, who needs to be supplemented, remains to be seen.

There is still one more potential trial for the Oaks at Newbury this afternoon and it was cost £30,000 to add her to the race, but we will have discussions with the Juddmonte team next week.

As much as I love the Oaks, and it’s the race which really kickstarted my career when Casual Look won it 21 years ago, it is not the Derby and there are loads of other nice races for fillies through the summer.

Talking of the Derby, though, that six-length Dante win was some performance by William Haggas’ Economics.

It must have given William food for thought after he took the colt out of the Derby just a week or so before the Dante.

I’m sure he did it because he didn’t think the course at Epsom would suit his big horse, not to mention earlier doubts about him staying the mile and a half.

William probably thinks he can win the French Derby and Coral-Eclipse and have the champion three-year-old colt in Europe.

Plus, he has already won the Derby — with Shaamit in 1996 — so it’s not a scratch William is desperate to itch.

I’m lucky to train for Economics’ owner, Sheikh Isa, and he is a very thoughtful and level person. He likes to discuss things at length and do what is right for the horse.

Obviously the £75,000 to put him back in the Derby is not the issue — but if William doen’t think it is the best race for the horse, Sheikh Isa won’t pressure him.

Mind you, the Derby picture is arguably less clear than it was before all the trials started a couple of weeks ago.

We have no idea what to expect from City Of Troy. I know Aidan O’Brien is still extremely confident in the horse and, if the colt of last season turns up at Epsom, we are all up against it.

Aidan worked his magic last year with Auguste Rodin, so you still have to have the utmost respect for his horse.

Charlie Appleby was dealt a blow when Arabian Crown was ruled out of the race yesterday. These final two weeks before a big race are always stressful, because there is no time to recover from a hiccup.

The Derby has a wide-open look to it, and we have a horse in Bellum Justum who is in good form and handles the track.

He needs to improve to win a Derby, of course, but I’m really looking forward to running him in two weeks’ time.

It’s the big day of the year at our local track Newbury — and through some very bad planning we don’t have any runners!

But we are sending some nice ones up to Newmarket with a good chance and the horses are running really well at the moment, so I’d like to think we will come away with a winner or two.

Kevin Stott takes a few rides for us and I’m very happy to be giving him a few opportunities this season.

He had a bit of a tough time of it towards the end of last season when he lost the Amo Racing job and he took some time out to recharge his batteries with his family in Scandinavia.

He only lives round the corner from us and he has been riding out quite a bit, and whenever he comes in he puts in a real shift, riding in every lot.

There is no doubting his ability, he is a talented jockey. And when a rider has had a setback and they are hungry want to prove a point, it can be a very useful weapon and having him around is a boost to the team.

I’d say our best chance of a winner is DESERT COP (2.40), who runs in a big £100,000 handicap.

He won us a nice pot over six furlongs at the Guineas meeting and Oisin said he would appreciate an extra furlong, so we are up to seven today. He’s in good form and should go well.

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