Benvenuto Cellini has most things you need to win a Derby

The Derby remains the most important race of the season.

It’s a great day and a big test for a three-year-old, needing to handle the unique physical challenge of Epsom as well as the crowds.

Epsom | Race 3: G1 Coronation Cup

First of all for me it’s the Coronation Cup, which only has a field of six, but all of them are high-class horses, with four of them being Group 1 winners.

I ride JAN BRUEGHEL, who won the race last year when seeing off Calandagan.

He only ran once after that when disappointing in the King George but bounced back this season with a nice win at Chester. He stays well and I’m looking forward to riding him.

Lambourn also runs here. He won the Derby and Irish Derby last year and started the year off nicely at Chester so has a good chance back on a track he likes.

Calandagan is our main rival in here. Since he got beat in this race last year, he’s gone on an unbeaten run, winning the King George, the Champion Stakes, the Japan Cup as well as in Dubai. He’s going to be tough to beat but Jan Brueghel is in good form and I’m looking forward to riding him.

Epsom | Race 5: G1 Derby

I ride BENVENUTO CELLINI, who’s a beautiful mover by Frankel, out of Newspaperofrecord, a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, and he will probably go off favourite here.

He was a good winner of the Chester Vase on his first start this year, so he’s already proven at the trip.

He’s an uncomplicated horse with great balance and I’m looking forward to riding him.

I think he has most of the things you need to win a Derby.

We also run Pierre Bonnard.

He’s a son of Camelot out of Sultanina that won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud last year.

He was beaten on his first two runs this year, but he will be suited by stepping up to the 1m4f and the rain that’s falling will be in his favour. I can see him running a big race.

Action and Christmas Day, who finished second and third in the Dante at York, also run.

I think that Action will relish the step up to a mile and a half, and the rain will be a benefit to his chances. He’s also half-brother to Lambourn who won the race last year.

Christmas Day is a tough, consistent horse and I think he will run well also.

Item got the better of Action and Christmas Day in the Dante and is an unbeaten colt by Frankel out of a Lope De Vega mare, so there’s some similarities to Benvenuto Cellini there. He’s open to any amount of improvement and must be taken seriously.

Maltese Cross and Bay Of Brilliance finished 1st and 2nd in the Lingfield Derby Trial, pulling clear of the rest. Being by Sea The Stars out of a Camelot mare, Maltese Cross is bred to stay and is an interesting runner.

Joseph [O’Brien] runs James J Braddock who beat Pierre Bonnard the last day, and the step up in trip should suit.