As usual, the first Saturday in June will see all roads leading to Epsom Downs in Surrey, England, for the running of the "Blue Riband" of the turf, the Derby, to be run over 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards. This is the 232nd renewal of this remarkable event, whose success and prestige have spawned numerous imitations across the globe. For the third consecutive year, banking group Investec plc will sponsor the event, which is expected to have 125,000 racegoers in attendance. The race is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time on June 4th (8:30 p.m. IST).

Thirteen three-year-old colts have been left in at the time of writing. It would be a foolish person who insisted that half the field had no chance – the list of previous winners is peppered with examples of successful long-shots. Yet the last winner at double-digit odds was the 20-1 chance, High Rise, back in 1998. And one has to go back 37 years to find a 50- to-1 winner – Snow Knight prevailed at that price in 1974.

In the past dozen years or so, the winner has come from the ranks of those who fulfilled the following criteria:

• Made its debut at a top track
• Won over 7 furlongs or more as a two-year-old
• Raced in the immediate past 5 weeks
• Finished first or second last time out

Interestingly, this year the application of these grounds does not winnow the field down substantially and realistically one can rule out only the likes of Marhaba Malyoon and the maiden Castlemorris King, which are both at astronomical odds anyway. In fact, the last-named is a good candidate to finish half a furlong or more behind the winner!

Had he not had a small setback in training, Dante Stakes winner Carlton House (by Street Cry) would have been at a shorter price than the 9-to-4 currently on offer. Should he overcome this and succeed there will be no more popular winner, not merely because he is the favourite but because he races for H.M. The Queen, is trained by Sir Michael Stoute and will be ridden by former champion Ryan Moore.

Unfortunately, the imposing colt rapped his near-fore fetlock in a workout which led to some filling which has since responded to treatment. The situation will be reviewed frequently in the hours leading to the race. Obviously, he won't be risked if any doubt persists. Last week Carlton House had recorded a sparkling workout, which pleased his trainer no end. "It was very satisfactory. I was very happy with him. He has got a grand temperament, good balance, is a very good mover, an easy horse to train and has a good turn of foot," said Stoute. He added a note of caution: "So many people do want him to win, unfortunately these things don't often happen."

No French-trained runner has scored since Empery triumphed in 1976. Veteran Andre Fabre has gone the extra mile to ensure that his ward Pour Moi (by Montjeu) breaks the long drought. In the winner of the Prix Greffulhe, he feels he has an outstanding opportunity to fill an empty shelf on his mantelpiece, saying Pour Moi represents "the best chance I've ever had." To help facilitate the desired result, Fabre took the precaution of sending Pour Moi to Epsom so that he could work on the course, with its unique camber, and came over personally from France to view the gallop, which the colt "won" by eight lengths from his workmate.

Young Frenchman Mickael Barzalona, who often rides for Godolphin, has steered the stoutly-bred colt to both his victories and will be aboard the colt, who habitually sweats up before each start.

As has been the pattern in recent years, trainer Aidan O'Brien fields more than one runner, all denizens of his Ballydoyle Stables in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. All are by Coolmore sires and the quartet consists of Montjeu's son, Recital (Kieren Fallon, 5-to-1), Galileo's sons Seville (Christophe Soumillon, 7-to-1) and Treasure Beach (Colm O'Donoghue, 28-to-1) and Hurricane Run's son Memphis Tennessee (Joseph O'Brien, 33-to-1).

The last few years have not seen O'Brien succeed in this race, despite his sending out a plethora of runners and Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) remain his only winners to date. The trainer believes Recital has "a touch of brilliance" that could make the difference on this occasion. He also feels that Seville could progress from his last performance, when he was runner-up to Carlton House.

However, he might have to deal with a fresh problem. A controversy has broken out about riding arrangements and legal proceedings have been instituted in the High Court in London against Fallon, who partnered Recital when he annexed the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown in early May. The action was brought by the connections of Native Khan, who have alleged that Fallon was breaking a promise to ride their colt in the Derby and therefore should not be allowed to ride a rival. The matter will be decided later today (Friday).

Meanwhile, the owner of Native Khan (by Azamour) has secured the services of Johnny Murtagh for his Guineas-placed colt, who started the season with a stylish victory in the Craven Stakes – when ridden by Fallon. The Ed Dunlop-trainee is trading at 10-to-1.

France's second runner is the Aga Khan's homebred Vadamar (by Dalakhani), cut to 16-1 after a wave of support. Schooler Alain de Royer-Dupre pointed out that there was not much to choose between the form of his ward and the other Gallic representative, Pour Moi, as only a couple of lengths or so separated them in the Prix Greffulhe. Christophe-Patrice Lemaire, who spent a season or two in India, will continue his association as the retained rider.

Godolphin's slender hopes rest on the expectation that 16-to-1 Ocean War (by Dalakhani) has improved after his last win in the Makfi Newmarket Stakes at the end of April. The organization's racing manager, Simon Crisford, ventured: "He's done very well this season. What we like about him is we're pretty certain a mile and a half will suit him pretty well. A truly run race will suit and he'll be doing his best work at the finish. He's got to improve a good deal but he's done nothing wrong throughout."

The previous afternoon (8:35 p.m. tonight in India), 13 select three-year-old-fillies will clash in the Investec Oaks, which is the highlight of a Friday card that also features the Investec Coronation Cup.

Unless her hard race in the Qipco 1000 Guineas took more out of her than normal, Godolphin's Blue Bunting (by Dynaformer) should be the proverbial good thing in the Oaks. Last time she appeared in public she was all out to nip the hapless Together (by Galileo) on the post. However, the narrowness of that verdict was due to the fact that the grey needed every inch of the mile to assert her superiority and with the added distance today, she ought to have an easier time of it. She is quoted at 9-to-4.

As usual, Frankie Dettori is set to guide the destiny of the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained American-bred, who is aiming to repeat a double last achieved by Godolphin with Kazzia in 2002. Dettori was quite upbeat about his filly's chances: “I think we can do the double because the surprise was winning the Guineas. We weren’t really sure she had the speed for a mile-long race. We thought she was more of a mile-and-a-half filly, which is perfect for the Oaks.”

Of course, everything in racing is not a one-way street and there are a dozen opponents aiming to dethrone Blue Bunting from her perch atop the rankings of European-trained members of her age and sex. Chief of these is the 7-to-2 chance, Wonder Of Wonders (by Kingmambo), one of four representatives in the race from Aidan O'Brien. Coming off a fluent victory in the Cheshire Oaks last month, the superbly-bred filly is out of All Too Beautiful, an own-sister to Galileo. Apart from possessing a choice pedigree, All Too Beautiful had ability to boot – she was a Pattern race winner herself and also runner-up in this very race in 2004. Wonder Of Wonders is to be ridden by Kieren Fallon.

The O'Brien team also fields Misty For Me (by Galileo), heroine of the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas just 12 days ago. Seamie Heffernan, long associated with the stable, will pilot her as he did during her triumphant classic effort. Bookmakers offer 8-to-1 against her, the same price as is available for Havant (by Halling), who lost her unbeaten record when unplaced in the Qipco 1000 Guineas. Bred to stay as she is, the latter ought to be excused that lapse and can be considered, more so as she represents the highly-successful Sir Michael Stoute-Ryan Moore combination.

Finally, one can never completely rule out an unbeaten runner and Zain Al Boldan (by Poliglote) fits that bill. Former football star Mick Channon handles her training duties and sent her out most recently to a six-length win in the totepool Oaks Trial Stakes at Lingfield in early May. Sam Hitchcott, the same rider who will be astride today, steered her on that occasion as also on her previous two successes.