Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 16:00, THE BETFRED DERBY-G1, £2,000,000, 3yo, c/f, 12f 6yTField: Action (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Alderman (GB) (Study Of Man {GB}), Ancient Egypt (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), A Taste Of Glory (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Balzac (Ger) (Japan {GB}), Bay Of Brilliance (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Benvenuto Cellini (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Christmas Day (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Item (GB) (Frankel {GB}), James J Braddock (GB) (Zarak {Fr}), Maltese Cross (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Pierre Bonnard (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Poker (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Rebel Rocker (GB) (Cityscape {GB}).TDN Analysis: A renewal that has a picture that could shift considerably between declaration time and the race itself, with a mixed weather forecast suggesting it could be run on anything from good-to-soft to very soft. The clear favourite for some time, Benvenuto Cellini, will want it as lively as it can get based on how he operates but there is form on a yielding surface and his accomplished dam Newspaperofrecord had it on the soft side when recording her career-best in the Breeders' Cup. Pierre Bonnard won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on testing ground and may benefit more than the favourite if more rain comes, while the yard's other big chance who will stay is Christmas Day and he is far from out of this. Like Benvenuto Cellini, Item is out of a Lope De Vega mare and it is worth noting that Capla Temptress was second in a soft-ground Lake Placid. Strangely for a Derby, he is the only unbeaten runner in the line-up and may have more class than the likes of James J Braddock, Maltese Cross and Bay Of Brilliance whose trial performances don't look particularly strong on the clock or the formbook. [Tom Frary].Friday, Epsom Downs, post time: 16:00, THE BETFRED OAKS-G1, £625,000, 3yo, f, 12f 6yTField: A La Prochaine (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Amelia Earhart (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Cameo (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), K Sarra (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Legacy Link (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), On Message (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Sugar Island (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Thundering On (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Venetian Lace (Ire) (Masar {Ire}).TDN Analysis: Like stablemate Benvenuto Cellini, Amelia Earhart has to prove that she can produce her best on a rain-softened surface and unlike him still has a question to answer regarding stamina for this. A La Prochaine was an eye-catcher behind her in the Cheshire Oaks and was strongly disadvantaged by the way the race was run, so it would be no surprise if she were to take a big step forward for the Ralph Beckett stable that has done so well in this Classic. Thundering On is also intriguing, up in trip again from the Salsabil she won with such authority, while Frankel's Musidora-winning relative Legacy Link, the impressive Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Cameo and 1,000 Guineas third Venetian Lace make this a far more wide-open edition than the betting suggests. [Tom Frary].Friday, Epsom Downs, post time: 14:40, THE BETFRED DIOMED STAKES-G3, £125,000, 3yo/up, 8f 113yTField: Boiling Point (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Chancellor (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Ice Max (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Persica (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Qirat (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Seagulls Eleven (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), Skukuza (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}).TDN Analysis: It's hard to believe that we have a Sussex Stakes winner who isn't even in the first four in the betting for this, but Qirat is living proof that horseracing is not an exact science. Last year's winner Persica will get similar ground conditions to 12 months ago and has been laid out for this, while Seagulls Eleven is just a plain good horse at this level and could be getting better. [Tom Frary].Friday, Epsom Downs, post time: 17:15, THE CYGAMES SURREY STAKES-Listed, £85,000, 3yo, 7f 3yTField: Ardisia (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}), Greek Mythology (Ire) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Northern Champion (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Postmodern (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Stellar Sunrise (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), Ten Carat Harry (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Assaranca (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Awaken (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Ellusive Butterfly (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}).TDN Analysis: Stellar Sunrise was no match for the classier Saber Strike and Cerro Blanco at Newmarket last time, but there isn't anything like as exciting as that pair lurking in this line-up and he is a real “Festival” horse having won at Glorious Goodwood and York's Ebor last summer. Greek Mythology was an honourable third taking on older horses in a competitive Listed contest last time and this is probably easier. [Tom Frary].Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 14:40, THE COOLMORE CORONATION CUP-G1, £1,000,000, 4yo/up, 12f 6yTField: Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Convergent (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}).TDN Analysis: A fascinating rematch between last year's first and second Jan Brueghel and Calandagan on very similar ground, which if deteriorating further could lead to the French colossus missing out altogether. While nobody is disputing that the Graffard runner is the better performer overall, this set-up does favour Jan Brueghel and the emphasis will be on making it a true stamina test once again with Illinois and Lambourn potentially acting as tag-team pacemakers. Outlier Convergent has a bit to find with the top two, but is a hard horse to pin down and could surprise a few. [Tom Frary].Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 13:30, THE BETFRED TATTENHAM CORNER STAKES (FORMERLY THE JOHN OF GAUNT STAKES)-G3, £125,000, 4yo/up, 7f 3yTField: Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), Balmacara (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Golden Mind (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), Never So Brave (Ire) (No Nay Never), Poet Master (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ten Bob Tony (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Witness Stand (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}).TDN Analysis: Highly progressive last summer, the City of York and Summer Mile winner Never So Brave drops in class and trip after a disappointing effort on his seasonal bow in the Sandown Mile. Ten Bob Tony won this 12 months ago when it was staged at Haydock and rates as the biggest threat, while Alcantor shortens from a mile for the first time since his two-year-old days and is sure to try and make a bold bid from the front. [Tom Frary].Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 14:05, THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES-G3, £125,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 8f 113yTField: Sparks Fly (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Arisaig (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Betty Clover (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Breckenbrough (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Love Dynasty (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Pina Sonata (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Princess Child (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), Shes Perfect (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Pacific Mission (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).TDN Analysis: Shes Perfect put up an encouraging effort on her first start since the Prix de Diane when third in the Conqueror last month and is poised to provide that first Stakes win having had it taken away from her in last year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Third in this last year, Sparks Fly showed she retains all her ability with a fine fourth in the Huxley last month while last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and May Hill runner-up Pacific Mission is a key player as the sole representative of the three-year-old crop. [Tom Frary].Saturday, Baden-Baden, Germany, post time: 15:50, JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION DERBY-TRIAL-G3, €55,000, 3yo, 10fTField: All Square (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Lommi (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Seguro (Ger) (Romanised {Ire}), Waladares (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Yacomo (Fr) (Yafta {GB}), Akira Yasha (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).TDN Analysis: Eckhard Sauren's G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen victor Lommi finished several lengths in front of Waladares when a neck second to Gostam in last month's G2 Bavarian Classic and sets the benchmark here. His threats include Stall Simply Red's G3 Dr Busch Memorial fourth Seguro and Wiaczeslaw Szymczuk's Polish 2000 Guineas heroine Akira Yasha, while impressive Cologne maiden scorer All Square is an intriguing contender coming back off a handicap second at Krefeld. Lyon-Parilly handicap victor Yacomo makes his first start of the year and completes the line-up. [Sean Cronin].Click here for the complete fields.The post Black-Type Analysis: Can Aidan O’Brien Scoop His 12th Derby? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.