Even though though Her Majesty will not be present it looks like a good couple of days.
Friday of course is Oaks day and the weather looks pretty close to perfect but there may be some showers on the Saturday.
Friday's card of course features the Coronation Cup as well as the Oaks. There are only 6 runners in this G1 over 2400m and it looks on paper as if it is between Pyledriver and Mandobo. Pyledriver recently ran 4th in the Sheema in Dubai and Dettori his jockey in that race keeps the ride for the training team of William Muir and Chrissy Grassick.
Mandobo represents the Godolphin Appleby stables with William Buick riding. At present there is not much between these two in the market.
The Oaks has 11 fillies lining up and for some time the favourite has been Emily Upjohn for the Gosdens. She is unbeaten and the Gosdens have Frankie Dettori on the daughter of Sea The Stars and he partnered her when she won at Sandown and when she won the Musidora at York. Their other runner is Nashwa with Hollie Doyle in the irons on this daughter of Frankel who is on 4/1.
The two Coolmore runners are Concert Hall by Dubawi with Seamie Heffernan riding and Tuesday by Galileo chosen by Ryan Moore as his ride – they are both on 7/1 at present.
There's another interesting runner here in Tranquil Lady who is by Australia and who has Joseph O'Brien booked for the ride? Aussie Tom – Tom Marquand who will also be competing against his wife Hollie Doyle. 12/1 is worth a little e/w – not so sure about the quinella Nashwa-Tranquil Lady but it could appeal to the gamblers.
Saturday's card has the first of the Group races in the G3 Princess Elizabeth over 1700m with 13 starters. There are two Chevely Park runners here from different yards – Bashkirova on 6/4 for Haggas-Marquand and Potapova 3/1 for Stoute-Ryan Moore. Next in the market is Roman Mist 5/1 and why not in these particularly monarchist days go for Mrs Fitzherbert the mistress of George IV when he was Prince of Wales and whom she secretly married – the equine version is 6/1.
The Diomed Stakes is also G3 over 1700m and has 8 runners. Modern News heads the market for Godolphin Appleby-Buick on 8/11 with Mutasaabeq on 11/4 and Megallan on 9/2.
And the Derby itself – 18 to line up for the 2400m with Sir Michael Stoute's Desert Crown the top pick and the son of Nathanial has been favourite for quite a while. Richard Kingscote will be on board and they are aiming to keep their unbeaten record. 7/4. It becomes much more open after this with the charge of the sons of Galileo – Stone Age on 4/1, Chaningoftheguard 7/1 and Star of India 12/1. Into this insert Godolphin's son of Teofilo Nation's Pride 6/1 Appleby-Buick.
There is no doubt that the favourite is a very nice horse indeed and has a master trainer in Sir Michael Stoute but Epsom is a very tricky course and there is a saying "you need speed to win the Guineas and luck to win the Derby".
So we are going a bit wide here and will have something on Star of India, who won at Chester over 2200m so should get the trip and that is a tricky course which he handled well.
