Who Will Win The 2009 Derby….?

Having seen the Derby Trials we can now start looking seriously at who will win the 2009 Investec Derby which will be run at Epsom on 6^th June. Last season New Approach and Tartan Bearer fought out a thrilling finish and gave more credibility to the Derby form than has been the case in recent years.

Fame and Glory heads the market having landed the Ballysax Stakes and The Derristown Derby Trial. He is sure to get the trip and hails from the Ballydoyle yard of Aidan O’Brien. Fame and Glory is Ballydoyles number one contender but they will be mob handed at Epsom. They have won Derby Trials at York, with a 1-2, at Chester with a 1-2 and at Lingfield. It is a realistic possibility that Aidan O’Brien could dominate the 2009 Derby.

Standing in his way is John Oxx and his 2000 Guineas winner Sea the Stars, a half brother to Galileo who was trained by, you guessed it Aidan O’Brien and won the Derby in 2001. I genuinely think that without Sea the Stars O’Brien could emulate on the flat what Michael Dickinson did at Cheltenham.  Sea the Stars is not certain to get the trip but his breeding suggests he will. Can Sea the Stars beat Fame and Glory? In my view he will not.  Let us relive Galileo’s Derby (from Youtube) which he won in 2001.


Although Sea the Stars has a Group 1 and a Classic at that, in the book history tells us that a 2000 Guineas is up against it at Epsom and should he prevail at Epsom then he will truly be exceptional. Regular readers of The Diary will know that we have put forward Fame and Glory and have not seen anything that will change our minds.

Betfair odds for The Derby are currently better on every horse than every bookmaker. It is therefore our recommendation that you back Fame and Glory to Win the Epsom Derby at 3-1.

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