Focusing on the positives may be the key to finding the winner of the Investec Derby.
There has been much speculation surrounding the stamina limitations of Golden Horn and his chances of staying the mile and a half.
However, this intangible quality aside, he ticks enough boxes being unbeaten in three career starts including when beating both Jack Hobbs and Elm Park when he won the Group Two Dante Stakes at York three weeks ago.
He showed acceleration over an extended 10 furlongs and no signs of stopping as he won by two and three-quarter lengths to prove himself the pick of the British runners. His sire Cape Cross was responsible for 2009 Derby winner Sea The Stars - whose dam was Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea - but Golden Horn's female pedigree offers some promising clues. His unraced dam is a half-sister to the Group Three Lingfield Derby Trial winner Mystic Knight and the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Hidden Hope.
Recent Derbys have revolved around the Aidan O'Brien-trained runners but this year his trio look short of the requisite class with Giovanni Canaletto, who is the choice of Coolmore's No.1 jockey Ryan Moore, was beaten a neck by the filly Curvy in the Group Three Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh last month and he needs to improve significantly.
Another Irish-trained runner is Success Days, who was supplemented for the race having won two Derby trials, but his three victories this season have all come on ground far softer than he will be racing on at Epsom while Rogue Runner, trained in Germany by Andreas Wöhler, looks somewhat out of his depth judged on his most recent start when fifth at Frankfurt.
No woman has ever trained the winner of the Derby and indeed only seven have tried. One of those was Criquette Head-Maarek with sixth-placed American Post in2004 and the French trainer runs Epicuris who has shown temperament - when refusing to load for the Group Two Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud last time - but enough talent to suggest he can be competitive.
Those not keen on the odds about Golden Horn might prefer an each-way punt on Storm The Stars. He did not get much luck when second to Hans Holbein in the Group Three Chester Vase but won a Listed race at Goodwood next time. He was beaten just a head by Golden Horn last year and looks value at 20-1.
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