ROARING SUCCESS OPENS UP A DERBY DILEMMA

ROARING LION is 6-1 second favourite for the Investec Derby after tearing apart the field in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York, but trainer John Gosden has yet to commit to running him at Epsom on June 2.

Gosden had previously seemed to favour the French Derby at Chantilly the following day, a race that is sponsored by the grey colt’s owner Sheik Fahad.

But Epsom might be hard to resist, especially as the mount of Oisin Murphy cut through his rivals before drawing four and a half lengths clear of Mildenberger.

It was a performance which justified the faith Gosden (below) has in Roaring Lion and also paid a huge compliment to odds-on Derby favourite Saxon Warrior. On the two occasions the pair have met, Saxon Warrior has come out on top.

Gosden, who has completed the DanteDerby double with Benny The Dip (1997) and Golden Horn (2015), said: ‘It’s confirmed Saxon Warrior as horse. He beat us in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

‘I would have been disappointed if Roaring Lion hadn’t won. He has woken up since the Guineas. We have set ourselves something to think about.’