'I couldn't be happier!' - Derby and Oaks contenders for Charlie Johnston, plus an update on Lazy Griff

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It's not easy for British yards to get involved in the chase for the first four Classics of the year but Charlie Johnston has managed it and staff at his Middleham yard can look forward with hope to both the Oaks and the Derby early next month. Thanks to a fruitful Guineas weekend in Newmarket, Johnston has Ancient Egypt (25-1) in the colts' race and Venetian Lace (12-1) taking on the fillies, and it's not impossible that he may also be represented in the extra-valuable Coronation Cup as well.

"It's quite nice to have booked your ticket early," Johnston tells the Front Runner as we discuss the continuing cycle of Epsom trials. "You can sit back and watch others either state their case or fall by the wayside."

Johnston did not plan on making a major raid on Newmarket just over a week ago but some of the races over Guineas weekend wound up looking rather more tempting than he expected. "I thought, let's go for it, let's be aggressive."

That sporting approach should be rewarded, and so it was. Johnston boxed up 16 horses, won four races (two at Listed level), was placed in the 1,000 Guineas, fourth in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes and had the second and third in a heritage handicap.

Charlie Johnston: enjoyed a fine few days at NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Among the winners was Ancient Egypt, who showed huge improvement on his juvenile form to land the Newmarket Stakes and put himself into the Derby picture. Johnston had been thinking about the Dante for him but is happy with the way things have worked out and feels no need to go again before Epsom.

"It's 36 days from Newmarket to the Derby, you'd have been sandwiching a run in. I felt there wasn't a huge amount to gain and plenty to lose. 

"Why run the risk of bursting the bubble when you didn't need to? We can gradually build him back up again to peak for Epsom.

"He's come out of the race well, had an easy week. He had a canter on Saturday and looked very fresh and full of himself. I couldn't be happier with how he's come out of the race."

Johnston has a recent insight into what the Derby requires, having saddled Lazy Griff to be second last year, despite odds of 50-1. Lazy Griff provided a huge thrill for his syndicate owners, having cost €75,000 as a yearling, whereas Ancient Egypt was clearly bought with this sort of assignment in mind, Amo Racing having paid 1.1 million guineas for him.

Lazy Griff had won a Group 3 as a two-year-old and was runner-up in the Chester Vase in his final prep run. Ancient Egypt is more about the potential, being rated 5lb below Lazy Griff at this time last year but with so much encouragement to take from his pedigree, being by Frankel out of a sister to Midday. He's an exciting horse to have, regardless of what happens at Epsom. 

Lazy Griff follows Lambourn home in last year's DerbyCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

What does the trainer make of the Derby picture? "It's pretty obvious that Aidan O'Brien is going to go in there with a very strong hand but you have to front up to that, you can't run away from it. We gave him a bit of a fright last year and hopefully we can do the same again."

Lazy Griff hasn't been seen since finishing strongly into third in the Irish Derby, a setback knocking him out of the St Leger, for which he had seemed very well suited. The plan had been for him to make his reappearance about now, either in the Ormonde or the Yorkshire Cup or maybe even the Saval Beg, but - frustratingly - he had a badly timed issue that will delay his return for a couple of weeks.

"It's completely unrelated to his knee that prevented him running in the Leger, but it just came at a crucial time when we needed to be pushing harder and instead we've had to ease back for a few days." 

It means Johnston must pick a next race for Lazy Griff without yet having tested him beyond a mile and a half. The Coronation Cup would seem tempting - after all, he ran so well over the course and distance last June - but it will be a very hot race and perhaps he needs further now. 

Alternatives include Sandown's Henry II Stakes over two miles at the end of May. At any rate, it will be great to see him racing again. "The next two weeks at home will tell us plenty." 

Venetian Lace has had an easy time of it since her splendidly game effort to be third in the 1,000 Guineas, over a distance that ought to be some way short of her optimum. "She's just so generous and so honest that she would always lose a lot of weight in her races. She's quite hard on herself."

True Love: won the 1,000 Guineas with Venetian Lace in thirdCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

That said, she lost less weight in the Guineas than she had done three weeks earlier when travelling to the Craven meeting for a racecourse gallop. It was a gallop that seemed to send her in the right direction after she had been slow to impress in the spring.

"We went to the Guineas feeling we had an outside chance of being bang there but feeling, if we finished in the first four or five and hit the line strong, that would be our perfect Oaks trial. She was going there very much with the Oaks in mind and ran a fantastic race. We left Newmarket knowing that would be her next start and we could train her accordingly."

Being a daughter of Derby winner Masar, Venetian Lace was surely made to need further than a mile at this stage of her career. But she led them a merry dance in the Guineas and kept on really stoutly after True Love went past.

"It was a fantastic run, I was absolutely delighted with it, but it can only get you excited about the possibility of what's to come."

Johnston could even be double-handed in the Oaks, his Jennifer Jane having romped six lengths clear of her rivals in the Pretty Polly. On pedigree, the ten furlongs of that race had seemed like a stretch. Would it be right to step up another quarter-mile at Epsom?

Jennifer Jane wins the Pretty Polly under Silvestre de SousaCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The difficulty is compounded by the fact that Jennifer Jane would need to be supplemented at a cost of £35,000. 

"Our plan was to sit tight and watch the Oaks picture take shape," the trainer says. "Perhaps a more logical target, albeit not quite as sexy, is the Italian Oaks, which is 10.5 furlongs and still very significant prize-money."

What fun, to be so well stocked with classy options at this early stage of the season. Having put in a good word for Ancient Egypt a week ago, the Front Runner has his fingers crossed for Team Johnston.  

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The Classic trials are producing some serious talent - just when Epsom needs it more than ever 

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