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The Charlie Johnston-trained Dubai Mile will be ridden by Daniel Muscutt in the Epsom Derby on Saturday. (Racing TV)

“Nothing In Derby Which Scares Me” Says Young Yorkshire Trainer

Daniel Muscutt out to make history by becoming the first African-born jockey to win the Derby and his mount is attempting to become the first Northern England-based Derby winner since Dante won it at the wartime venue of Newmarket in 1945.

Dave Mollett

A confession ahead of this month’s column about Saturday’s Betfred Derby at Epsom – it contains bias.
Being Yorkshire-born, I am going to suggest that punters have a serious each-way punt on the Yorkshire-trained runner, Dubai Mile.
 
What has really got me interested in the colt who finished fifth in the 2000 Guineas is a podcast interview with trainer, Charlie Johnston.
 
He said: “There’s nothing in there (the Derby) which scares me. I believe the 14-1 and 16-1 on offer underestimates his chances,” said the young man who took over the reins of the Middleham stable from his father last year.
 
How punters wish SA trainers would come out with such bold comments instead of trotting out the usual “may need the experience” or “likely to be green.”
 
“The Derby picture looks wide open and Dubai Mile has two factors in his favour. He handles any ground so that is no concern and he has the temperament to handle the occasion,” said Johnston. This is perhaps a reference to the animal rights protesters, who delayed the Grand National, and have warned they have another demonstration planned for Epsom.
 
Johnston has booked 27 year-old Daniel Muscutt – son of SA trainer Peter Muscutt – to ride Dubai Mile and says “his inexperience in the Derby doesn’t concern me.”
 
“Confidence is the most important factor when it comes to jockeys and without a shadow of doubt Daniel will have more confidence in this horse than anyone else we could get to ride him.”
 
“While I don’t like to say the 2000 Guineas was a trial, our horse hit the line strong and will improve a lot by stepping up to a mile and a half in the Derby,” added the Middleham trainer.
 
One jockey Danny Muscutt will be expecting to throw down a challenge is Oisin Murphy who rides Dante Stakes victor, The Foxes.
 
Having apparently won his battle with alcoholism which resulted in a 14-month ban, Murphy has quickly got back amongst the winners and predicts a big run from Andrew Balding’s three year-old.
“We were thrilled with him at Newmarket – he obviously improved from the Craven. In the Dante, I counted for a few seconds before I asked him to go and he ran on like a really exciting horse,” said Murphy who won the 1000 Guineas on Mawj.
 
“He’s easy to ride, relaxes brilliantly and you couldn’t ask for a nicer character. They’ve done a great job with him at home – he’s very chilled so I’m really looking forward to riding him,” he added.
 
“We don’t really know until raceday if he’ll stay the extra two furlongs because he does most of his work over six furlongs. But it was a truly run Dante that he won and it’ll be nice finding out.” The Foxes is a 10-1 chance in ante post betting.
 
Probably the best result for Epsom officials and the new sponsors, would be a third Derby win for Frankie Dettori at his last Derby meeting before his retirement in November. The race hasn’t been easy to win for the legendary rider with his two victories coming on Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015).
 
Frankie is due to ride Chester Vase winner, Arrest, the 5-1 third favourite. He said: “I’m very fortunate I’ve won two and it’s still the most famous race in the world. At least I’m going into my last year with a great chance.”
 
Dettori feels that Passenger – likely to be supplemented at a cost of 85 000 pounds – may be the horse to beat. “For me he was the eyecatcher of the Derby trials.”
 
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So a double taking Dubai Mile to run a place into the July looks the way to go – but which horse in the famous Greyville race?
 
If you look beyond See It Again, it’s a confusing picture though I do hold a 20-1 (each-way) ticket on Rascallion with bookmaker Lance Michael.  
 
Without Question, who drifted from 33-10 to 6-1 for the Daily News, looks useful but no world-beater and Dave The King will have Gary Player dreaming of a 10th Major.
 
There are just no happy endings with Cousin Casey and in the betting shop I visited on Saturday (because of loadshedding) the majority of punters were in the corner of Glen Kotzen’s runner. Last season’s champion juvenile received a bump from Without Question and – in my opinion – the third and fourth placings should have been reversed. 
 
Billy Bowlegs (22-1), second to Son Of Raj in the Derby, was on my shortlist until the latter’s no show in the Daily News.
 
Andrew Bon tipped me Jimmy Don (35-1) at the Highveld awards and I put this down to him enjoying the red wine! What you can say is that Erico Verdonese’s colt did wonderfully to finish second in the SA Classic considering he was drawn in the Rand Stadium.
 
Winchester Mansion (25-1) remains a possible longshot as what appeals about his chance is that he’s a winner over 2400m. Terrance Millard always maintained you need a mile and a half horse to win the July.