Benvenuto Cellini (130p) tops the ratings for Saturday’s Betfred Derby but the Aidan O’Brien–trained colt is rated behind seven of the trainer’s previous Derby winners based on their ratings ahead of lining up in the Derby.
He holds a pre-Derby rating that is ahead of 2017 winner Wings Of Eagles (126p), last year’s winner Lambourn (124p) and surprise 2020 winner Serpentine (115p) but level with 2023 winner Auguste Rodin (130).
All of O’Brien’s other Derby winners – Camelot (137p), Australia (137p), City Of Troy (135), High Chaparral (132p), Anthony Van Dyck (132), Galileo (131p) and Ruler Of The World (131p) – were rated higher heading into the colts’ Classic.
Epsom’s Betfred Derby promises action-packed Saturday
A field of 14 is due to contest Saturday’s Betfred Derby.
Five of those look to have plenty to do on form but the remainder are covered by just 7 lb in the Timeform ratings, and most of those have a ‘p’ indicating further improvement to come, giving the race a very open look.
As in the Oaks, Aidan O’Brien, already the race’s most successful trainer, is bidding to win the Derby for a 12th time.
Among his four runners, Benvenuto Cellini (130p) heads the ratings following a convincing win in the Chester Vase where he ran to a higher figure than stablemate Lambourn, who completed the Chester Vase-Derby double last year.
The going was on the firm side at Chester, but Benvenuto Cellini had looked less effective on heavy ground in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last season.
Another son of Frankel, the Andrew Balding–trained Item (129p), is just behind Benvenuto Cellini in the ratings.
Less highly tried at two, he maintained his unbeaten record with a much-improved performance to win the Dante Stakes at York where he got the better of the Aidan O’Brien pair Action (125) – who’s a close relative to Lambourn – and Christmas Day (125p).
Just a neck separated Maltese Cross (128p) and Bay Of Brilliance (128p) in the Lingfield Derby Trial where there was plenty to like about the efforts of both colts, representing William Haggas and Ralph Beckett respectively, as they pulled clear of the rest.
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Chester winner Benvenuto Cellini tops Timeform ratings
Timeform senior analyst Rory King said: “While the Derby trials might have failed to produce a standout contender, the best performance on Timeform ratings was put up by Benvenuto Cellini in winning the Chester Vase.
“Chester is very much the favoured finishing school venue for Aidan O’Brien’s Epsom contenders nowadays and, although Benvenuto Cellini was long odds on in winning the Vase, he faced a proper examination and passed it with flying colours.
“His stablemate Proposition ensured it was a searching gallop, and the way Benvenuto Cellini strode clear having hit the front over a furlong out means his stamina for this test can’t be knocked.
“Of the rest, Pierre Bonnard cannot be ignored given quite how promising he looked at the end of last season, while the pair who fought out the Lingfield Derby Trial are both players, with Bay Of Brilliance perhaps set to be better suited of the pair by the softer ground at Epsom.”
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Adjusted ratings for Aidan O’Brien Derby winners
124p Lambourn
135 City Of Troy
130 Auguste Rodin
115p Serpentine
132 Anthony Van Dyck
126p Wings of Eagles
137p Australia
131p Ruler Of The World
137p Camelot
132p High Chaparral
131p Galileo
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