'Any rain would be a negative' - Charlie Appleby's warning as Ruling Court approaches his moment of truth

At the start of the week the market momentum all seemed to be with 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court as doubts continued to surround which way Ryan Moore would jump between Delacroix and The Lion In Winter and form students began to come round to just how strong the Newmarket Classic form looks. On top of that, big-race jockey William Buick oozed confidence in a press call on Tuesday.

On official ratings Ruling Court has 4lb in hand over The Lion In Winter and is 5lb ahead of both Delacroix and Pride Of Arras. The fact he is not clear favourite is down to doubts around whether such a brilliant Guineas winner can last home out over a mile and a half, as well as the growing concern over the prospect of the rain getting properly into the Epsom ground.

Those are issues which trainer Charlie Appleby readily acknowledges, saying: "We have always felt that the 2,000 Guineas is one of the best trials for the Derby, and Ruling Court has trained well since winning at Newmarket. We wouldn’t want the ground to get too soft by Saturday, so any significant amount of rain would be a negative. 

Ruling Court bids to add the Betfred Derby to the 2,000 GuineasCredit: Edward Whitaker

“We won’t know if he truly gets a mile and a half until we try, but he gives us every indication he should get the trip. We know he's the class horse in the field, which helps, and being able to travel around Epsom is probably more important than being a proper mile-and-a-half horse. 

“We can have no complaints with being drawn seven and are very pleased with how his preparation has gone. He's an exciting Derby contender, for sure.”

On pedigree there is plenty of encouragement for supporters of Ruling Court, with Justify having sired last year's Derby winner in City Of Troy and completing his own Triple Crown over a mile and a half in the Belmont Stakes.

Ruling Court's dam is out of a Derby winner in High Chaparral, who defeated his speedier stable mate Hawk Wing when Johnny Murtagh chose to turn the race into a real test of stamina in 2002. 

'It's a big question mark' - Derby-winning jockey Martin Dwyer on Ruling Court's stamina

Camelot (2012) and Sea The Stars (2009) both completed the Guineas and Derby double in recent memory, while Sir Percy went one better at Epsom after finishing runner-up effort to George Washington at Newmarket to claim Derby glory under Martin Dwyer in 2006.

Sir Percy and Martin Dwyer (right) get up in one of the most thrilling Derby finishes this centuryCredit: Edward Whitaker

The question that every Guineas winner has to answer is the one marked 'stamina', and Dwyer is far from convinced the extra test will play to Ruling Court's strengths. 

"I think it's a big question mark as to whether he get's the distance," said Dwyer. "He's not a horse who is keen but he's got an electric turn of foot and he was too fast for Field Of Gold at Newmarket. 

"I was there when he won in Dubai and while you might say he didn't beat much, his turn of foot was electric. I think he showed that again on fast ground in the Guineas when he caught Field Of Gold on the hop, beating Shadow Of Light, who might now go and win the Commonwealth Cup."

Dwyer added: "If the rain comes as forecast, it's going to be even harder. There's no hiding place at Epsom, you need to stay the mile and a half. He's got a lot of class, he travels very strongly and he's got a wicked turn of foot. 

"If he can produce that over a mile and a half he'll have to be brilliant. I think he is a brilliant horse but for me it's a massive question mark."

As for the horse most likely to profit should Ruling Court come up short, Dwyer says: "I think Delacroix has the fewest questions to answer and he hasn't half won well in his two trials. He's won on easier ground and I think he'll stay, no problem."

'For the Aga Khan the Derby represented the epitome of what a racehorse could do'

Few sets of racing silks have been so inextricably linked with Derby glory over the last century than those of the late Aga Khan, who matched his own grandfather's record of five wins in the Classic. 

The Jockey Club has chosen to run this year's race as the Betfred Derby (in honour of His Highness Aga Khan IV), and his family have chosen to mark the occasion by supplementing the unbeaten Midak for the race. 

Princess Zahra Aga Khan presided over the dedication of the refurbished old weighing room complex as Chantilly in her father's memory last Sunday, and is at Epsom for both days of the Derby festival. 

Pat Smullen is congratulated by winning owner the Aga Khan after Harzand's 2016 Derby triumphCredit: Mark Cranham

Princess Zahra said of the Jockey Club's gesture: "I think it's wonderful the race has been named in his honour. The fact that Epsom and others in the industry are honouring his memory is very touching and very meaningful.

"Through my whole life, breeding a Derby winner was my father's aim. He actually wanted to breed fillies more than he wanted to breed colts but, for him, the Derby represented the epitome of what a racehorse could do. 

"The race meant a lot to him until the very end. One of the last things he ever said to me about horses was, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have another Derby horse?'. 

"It means a lot to me the horses he bred do well this year and that the red and green do well on the racecourse to honour his memory."

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