The Investec-sponsored Derby at Epsom Downs this afternoon is the highlight of the day’s racing action with the Group 1 Classic getting underway at 4pm.

Racing fans not able to make it to the course will be catered for by live coverage from the meeting by BBC 1 cameras who will be on hand to televise the first four races on the card concluding with the big one.

Twelve runners are expected to go to post for the running of the 231st premier classic worth a staggering £1.25 million in prize money.

Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien will be seeking a third success in the prestigious event following the victories of Galileo in 2001 and High Chaparral a year later.

O’Brien was due to be represented by ante post favourite St Nicholas Abbey who was pulled out of the race earlier in the week with a muscle injury. However, stable jockey Johnny Murtagh quicky decided to switch to Jan Vermeer, easy winner at the Curragh a couple of weeks ago and was almost immediately installed as favourite.

Midas Touch, another O’Brien runner will be ridden by Colm O’Donoghue with First Sight the potential pace maker being ridden by Seamie Heffernan.

Murtagh was full of praise for his new mount and told the racing press: “He’s a lovely balanced horse with a good profile going into the race, there is a little bit of a worry about him staying the mile and a half, but he is a good sensible horse nice and relaxed, so I don’t think there will be a problem with the trip.

“He won his last race very easily, he didn’t have a hard race and has come out of it very well and seems in good form.”

He added: “I wouldn’t like to compare Jan Vermeer with St Nicholas Abbey. It’s disappointing not to have St Nicholas Abbey , but that’s horse racing, you can never look too far ahead.”

Henry Cecil and Sir Michael Stoute hold the distinction of being the most successful current trainers in the Investic Derby, with both Newmarket handlers having enjoyed four victories.

Cecil is set to be represented by Bullet Train, who was the impressive winner of the Derby Trial at Lingfield while Stoute’s chance of landing a fifth success in the classic rests with Workforce, who looks sure to come on for his seasonal reappearance when runner-up at York.

Former Manton trainer John Gosden will be represented by the Group 3 Dee Stakes winner Azmeel, while Michael Bell, who saddled Motivator to triumph in 2005, by Coordinated Cut, the mount of Jamie Spencer.

The Godolphin-trained Rewilding has attracted plenty of support in midweek and Frakie Dettori’s mount will be hoping to build on his four length victory in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood.

Although it would appear foolish to go against the Ballydoyle favourite perhaps it could pay dividends to back Workforce and the Michael Jarvis-trained Hot Prospect each way.

Epsom clerk of the course Andrew Cooper was hoping for good ground for the fixture having finished watering in the week.

The meeting opens with the Investic Vincent O’Brien Handicap over one mile two furlongs Backers will need all their racing know-how to fathom out the winner of a tricky competitive three-year-old handicap where at least half of the big field could be in with a shout.

However, the column’s tentative selection is Verdant, trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore. The Listed Woodcote Stakes, over six furlongs, the second race on the card, could well go to Wiltshire trainer Richard Hannon with Casual Glimpse ridden by Richard Hughes.

The Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes could provide Frankie Dettori with a winner on board Aspectoflove for Godolphin while the five furlong “Dash” could go to Moorehouse Lad.

Other flat meetings are scheduled for Doncaster where Strong Vigilance could provide Hayley Turner with another winner, Musselburgh, where Lang Shining takes a drop in class to compete in a Seller and there are evening meetings at Lingfield and Newcastle.

  • A BIG holiday crowd is expected at Brighton tomorrow for their six-race card getting under way at 2.30pm with a tricky-looking six-furlong handicap.

Former Marlborough trainer Martin Bosley is expected to run Boldinor and Dualagi who would both appear to have chances but the one they could all have to beat is Royal Acclamation the mount of 7lb claimer David Kenny.

Ogbourne trainer Sam Davison, featured in Turf Talk when she began her new training career last year, saddles Naseby in the mile handicap and that could provide the trainer with her first success of the season.

Sir Mark Prescott’s yard is in cracking form and Rock Relief ridden by Seb Sanders could be yet another winner for the Newmarket trainer in the Brighton Ladies Day Handicap.

Jockey Jim Crowley attached to trainer Ralph Beckett’s yard has been riding plenty of winners and he teams up with his former boss, Amanda Perrett, on Coiled Spring in the mile-and-a-half Maiden and could be worth a bet.

Rondeau has been very expensive to follow having been in the shake-up on his last half a dozen runs. However the five-year-old would look to have a good chance to compensate his followers in the seven furlong handicap, Jim Crowley having the task of coaxing Rondeau over the line at the post.

The Southwell card begins at 2.20pm with an EBF Maiden Stakes for two-year-old over five furlongs that could be won by Tom Dascombe’s runner Rowan Spirit the mount of Richard Kingscote.

Other likely winners at the meeting could be Buzz Bird in the seven furlong Selling Stakes and Tom Wade in the final race of the afternoon.

Jumping fans are catered for at Worcester where Nicky Henderson’s stable claimer David Bass could ride Command Marshall to victory in the Ladbroke Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle, the first race on the card.

  • ROGER Charlton’s Beckhampton yard continues to churn out the winners with Goldtrek, 12-1, winning the one-mile three-furlong handicap at Lingfield in the week, with a game front-running performance under top weight ridden by Steve Drowne.