King’s odds tumble after Derby trial

ENGLISH KING, 66-1 for the Investec Derby yesterday morning, finished the day 6-1 joint favourite for the biggest Flat race of the season next month after cruising to victory in the Lingfield Derby trial. Betting industry insiders were struggling to recall such a dramatic change in ante-post odds after the Ed Walker-trained colt easily beat fellow 9-4 joint favourite Berkshire Rocco two and three-quarter lengths under jockey Tom Marquand. Summeronsevenhills was seven lengths back in third. After initially being cut to 16-1, Coral progressively took further evasive action as English King eventually joined today’s 2,000 Guineas favourite Pinatubo at the head of the Derby betting. Last year’s Lingfield trial winner Anthony Van Dyck was the first to go on to win the Derby since High-Rise in 1998. Walker said: ‘It has been a fact-finding mission today. ‘The exciting thing is he has a high cruising speed, a turn of foot and he stays. ‘Those three together are the three qualities you need in a very good horse.’ Prior to yesterday’s run, English King had only run twice, finishing seventh on his debut at Newmarket and then winning at Newcastle in November. The market move seemed an overreaction but the rejigged season means there will not be as many trials before the Derby on July 4. English King runs in the colours of owner Bjorn Nielsen, whose Stradivarius — aiming to win a third Ascot Gold Cup later this month — finished a respectable third to the impressive Ghaiyyath on his return to action in the Coronation Cup at Newmarket. Trainer Charlie Appleby said Ghaiyyath has become ‘the finished article’ after he pummelled his opponents into submission. Next for Ghaiyyath could be the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17 or the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on July 5.