Johnston not worried about Derby coming too soon for Permian

Mark Johnston has described the 16-day gap between the Dante and Derby as “absolutely no concern at all” as he prepares Permian for the Epsom Classic on Saturday week.

Johnston, whose Mister Baileys recorded the trainer's best finish in the Derby when fourth in 1994, is “very excited” by the idea of Permian contesting the Investec-backed £1,500,000 race, with owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum intending to pay the £85,000 fee to supplement the fast-improving son of Teofilo.

There were an extra six days between the Group 2 at York and the Derby last year, in which the John Gosden-trained Dante winner Wings Of Desire finished fourth behind Harzand, but Johnston feels the break between the races this campaign is “just perfect”.

Johnston said: “The time between the Dante and Derby is absolutely no concern at all. I’m a huge believer in doing our galloping on the racecourse – this horse certainly hasn’t galloped since his first run other than on the track. That's our normal policy and near enough two and a half weeks is just perfect.”

Permian burst on to the Classic scene when finishing a short-head second to Cracksman in the Derby Trial at Epsom in April, and although improvement is expected of the Gosden-trained favourite, Johnston believes it is not out of the question that Permian, a general 14-1 chance, could reverse the form.

Cracksman had been due to contest the Dante but was taken out after rain hit York, with Gosden preferring to keep his colt fresh.

Johnston said: “Cracksman is a lighter-raced, less exposed horse and you'd expect him to come on for beating us at Epsom, but everybody can see that Permian has come on considerably.

“I don’t think anyone can assume that in their next meeting Cracksman will beat Permian.

“Surprisingly, considering everyone sees me as a trainer of middle-distance horses and stayers, I’ve had very few runners in the Derby but we’re not going to Epsom for the sake of it.”

While the Hugo Palmer-trained Best Of Days, who worked under Michael Hills at Epsom on Tuesday, faces a race against time to make the race, Godolphin still have three potential runners in Lingfield Derby Trial winner Best Solution, Dante runner-up Benbatl and the recent Newbury maiden scorer Dubai Thunder.

John Ferguson, racing manager to Godolphin, said: “The manner in which Dubai Thunder won surprised me but he's always shown us to be a talented horse. Although it's a big ask to bring a horse here on its second start, it would be a great punt."