The aargh number: stall one for English King - but is it really a disadvantage?

No horse this century has won the Investec Derby from stall one but that is the task facing favourite English King and his rider, Frankie Dettori, on Saturday after 16 runners were confirmed for the Epsom Classic on Thursday.

Trained by Ed Walker, English King will break from the stall next to Mogul, the mount of Ryan Moore, with Pyledriver in stall three. The 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko is in stall 11.

The last Derby winner from the inside stall was Oath in 1999 and only three winners have come from that berth since 1967.

English King eased in the market on Thursday, from a top-priced 5-2 to 3-1.

Mogul, Russian Emperor and Vatican City are among six runners declared by Aidan O’Brien as the trainer bids to win the race for a record eighth time, while Royal Ascot winner Highland Chief is in the field along with interesting outsiders Khalifa Sat, Max Vega and Mohican Heights.

It will be a Derby day like no other as the fixture will take place behind closed doors with three-and-a-half miles of fencing around the perimeter of the racecourse.

The going at the Surrey track on Thursday morning remained good with showers possible on Thursday and Saturday morning.

Assessing the draw

No horse has won the Derby from stall one this century, but is it really as big a disadvantage as those stats might imply?

The field does tend to move towards the outside of the course after a furlong to take a right turn, but then almost immediately goes back to the inside rail.

There is plenty of time for a horse from any draw to secure a decent position.

Long-time Derby favourite English King has drawn stall one this year, and bids to become the first horse since Oath in 1999 to land the premier Classic from the inside berth.

Will his rider Frankie Dettori, successful on Golden Horn in 2015 and Authorized in 2007 be losing any sleep on Friday night over the draw? I doubt it.

Investec Derby runners and riders

1 Amhran Na Bhfiann William Buick
2 Emissary Jim Crowley
3 English King Frankie Dettori
4 Gold Maze David Egan
5 Highland Chief Ben Curtis
6 Kameko Oisin Murphy
7 Khalifa Sat Tom Marquand
8 Max Vega Harry Bentley
9 Mogul Ryan Moore
10 Mohican Heights Andrea Atzeni
11 Mythical James Doyle
12 Pyledriver Martin Dwyer
13 Russian Emperor Seamie Heffernan
14 Serpentine Emmet McNamara
15 Vatican City Padraig Beggy
16 Worthily Martin Harley

Investec Derby betting
bet365: 11-4 English King, 4 Kameko, 5 Mogul, 13-2 Russian Emperor, 10 Vatican City, 16 Highland Chief, Pyledriver, 20 Mohican Heights, 25 bar

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