Question Marks for Ruling Court in Epsom Derby

At the start of the week leading to the June 7 Epsom Derby (G1), the market momentum all seemed to be with Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Ruling Court as doubts continued to surround which way Ryan Moore would jump between Delacroix (IRE) and The Lion In Winter (IRE), and form students began to come around to just how strong the Newmarket classic looks. On top of that, big-race jockey William Buick oozed confidence in Ruling Court in a press call June 3. On official ratings Ruling Court has 4 pounds in hand over The Lion In Winter and is 5 pounds ahead of both Delacroix and Pride of Arras (IRE). The fact he is not clear favorite is down to doubts around whether such a brilliant Guineas winner can last home out over a mile and a half, as well as the growing concern over the prospect of the rain getting properly into the Epsom ground. Those are issues which trainer Charlie Appleby readily acknowledges, saying: "We have always felt that the Two Thousand Guineas is one of the best trials for the Derby, and Ruling Court has trained well since winning at Newmarket. We wouldn't want the ground to get too soft by Saturday, so any significant amount of rain would be a negative. "We won't know if he truly gets a mile and a half until we try, but he gives us every indication he should get the trip. We know he's the class horse in the field, which helps, and being able to travel around Epsom is probably more important than being a proper mile-and-a-half horse. "We can have no complaints with being drawn 7 and are very pleased with how his preparation has gone. He's an exciting Derby contender, for sure." On pedigree there is plenty of encouragement for supporters of Ruling Court, with sire Justify having sired last year's Derby winner in City of Troy and completing his own Triple Crown over a mile and a half in the 2018 Belmont Stakes (G1). Ruling Court's dam is out of a Derby winner in High Chaparral, who defeated his speedier stablemate Hawk Wing when Johnny Murtagh chose to turn the race into a real test of stamina in 2002. Camelot (GB) (2012) and Sea The Stars (IRE) (2009) both completed the Guineas and Derby double in recent memory, while Sir Percy went one better at Epsom after finishing runner-up to George Washington at Newmarket to claim Derby glory under Martin Dwyer in 2006. The question that every Guineas winner has to answer is the one marked "stamina," and Dwyer is far from convinced the extra test will play to Ruling Court's strengths. "I think it's a big question mark as to whether he gets the distance," Dwyer said. "He's not a horse who is keen but he's got an electric turn of foot and he was too fast for Field of Gold at Newmarket. "I was there when he won in Dubai and while you might say he didn't beat much, his turn of foot was electric. I think he showed that again on fast ground in the Guineas when he caught Field of Gold on the hop, beating Shadow of Light, who might now go and win the Commonwealth Cup." Dwyer added: "If the rain comes as forecast, it's going to be even harder. There's no hiding place at Epsom, you need to stay the mile and a half. He's got a lot of class, he travels very strongly and he's got a wicked turn of foot. "If he can produce that over a mile and a half he'll have to be brilliant. I think he is a brilliant horse but for me it's a massive question mark." As for the horse most likely to profit should Ruling Court come up short, Dwyer says: "I think Delacroix has the fewest questions to answer and he hasn't half won well in his two trials. He's won on easier ground and I think he'll stay, no problem." Aga Khan Honored Few sets of racing silks have been so inextricably linked with Derby glory over the last century than those of the late Aga Khan, who matched his own grandfather's record of five wins in the classic. The Jockey Club has chosen to run this year's race as the Betfred Derby (in honor of His Highness Aga Khan IV), and his family have chosen to mark the occasion by supplementing the unbeaten Midak (FR) for the race. Princess Zahra Aga Khan presided over the dedication of the refurbished old weighing room complex as Chantilly in her father's memory June 1, and is at Epsom for both days of the Derby festival. Princess Zahra said of the Jockey Club's gesture: "I think it's wonderful the race has been named in his honor. The fact that Epsom and others in the industry are honoring his memory is very touching and very meaningful. "Through my whole life, breeding a Derby winner was my father's aim. He actually wanted to breed fillies more than he wanted to breed colts but, for him, the Derby represented the epitome of what a racehorse could do. "The race meant a lot to him until the very end. One of the last things he ever said to me about horses was, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have another Derby horse?' "It means a lot to me the horses he bred do well this year and that the red and green do well on the racecourse to honor his memory."