The gurkha can stay distance

Stephen Mullen gives his Epsom thoughts

question marks over his rivals.

At bigger prices, if Dermot Weld decides to send HARZAND over,he would have every chance of finishing in the frame.

Where many in the line-up would have stamina doubts,that wouldn’t be a problem for this son of Sea The Stars.

He has had just three runs so far and has looked a real prospect on his two outings this season.The colt started by winning a Cork maiden over 1m2f and followed up by taking the Ballysax Stakes over the same trip at Leopardstown last time out.

He clearly loved the testing ground there but he isn’t bred to need it and it was more likely that it was bringing his stamina into play.At 20-1,he is a solid each-way player.

Aidan O’Brien is likely to run a few and DEAUVILLE is another who looks to be crying out for 1m4f.

He went down by a neck in the Dante to Wings Of Desire who will be supplemented for this and there won’t be a lot between them at Epsom.The main difference is the Ballydoyle runner will be around three times the price of his York conqueror.

WIN BET:THE GURKHA (4-1) EACH-WAY PROSPECTS: HARZAND (20-1), DEAUVILLE (14-1)

She is far and away the best filly we have seen this season and all indications are that the step up from a mile will be the making of her.After the injury to the highclass So Mi Dar, she’s just 8-13. So there must be each-way alternatives and we’ll try to find a couple.

TURRET ROCKS looks likely to improve markedly for this longer trip after being tapped for toe in the Guineas. She also gave the impression that she needed the run at Newmarket and world-class trainer Jim Bolger has always had middle distances in mind for her.

She showed lots of promise as a juvenile, winning the Group 2 May Hill Stakes before chasing home Ballydoyle in the Marcel Boussac at Longchamp in October. On breeding, there’s little doubt that she will stay with lots of middle-distance