Jaysella’s Epsom Downs Racecard for 6th June 2026

Jaysella’s Derby Day Epsom Downs Racecard for Saturday June 6th

Betfred Tattenham Corner Stakes (Group 3) 1.30
Never So Brave
I’m gonna be really bravehaha!! and tell yall Never So Brave is winning this. Now, there were some things to iron out from his first run this season, and just wearing the red hood to post told me he needs to settle into the preliminaries. But for all that, the bet365 Mile was a red hot renewal of that Group 2, with last year’s star miler, Field Of Gold, Karl Burke’s Zeus Olympios and Charlie Appleby’s Opera Ballo all in front of Never So Brave, who kinda did too much too soon for me. So, with that run under his belt, and Oisin Murphy off to a good start at Epsom on Friday, I reckon Never So Brave should be ready to roll dropped in grade. Ten Bob Tony won this equivalent race last year, when it was the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock Park, but Joseph O’Brien’s Alcantor could be the biggest danger, considering the Owning Hill handler’s brilliant spell of form. Never So Brave to return to the smart form of last season that saw a hat-trick finish with a win in the upgraded Group One City Of York Stakes, while Alcantor and Ten Bob Tony keep ‘im honest!

Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) 2.05
Shes Perfect
There won’t be a more popular winner than Basher Watts’s Shes Perfect, who kinda won the French 1,000 Guineas last year, only to get demoted to second for interference. Mind you, our Marie-Francoise did not mind that, having given Zarigana for that Classic win, but it would be a bit of poetic justice for the totally likeable YouTube star Basher to vindicate turning down that £2 million plus offer from Japanese interests should she win this. Laura Pearson’s Sparks Fly was third in this last year, so watch for her, while I think that Joseph O’Brien’s Princess Child is a huge shout for an each way gamble, if that’s your thing, especially with all the rain about. Yup, come on Basher, one of the most enthusiastic owners about, let see Shes Perfect scoop this one up. You’ve got my vote hun!!

Coolmore Coronation Cup (Group 1) 2.40
Calandagan (nap)
Can Calandagan can? What a race we ‘ave got lined up, I mean, just on temptation, this is the tastiest dish on the menu over this Epsom Classic meeting. Without a doubt!! Right kids, here’s the breakdown. Calandagan is THE premier middle distance horse in training, anywhere, but in Jan Brueghel he just might be meeting his nemesis, and for three reasons – one, he beat him in this race last year. Two, Aidan O’Brien is sending out Illinois as a pure pacemaker, and with the dual Derby winner Lambourn also here, Mickael Barzalona is gonna be getting pressure from all sides. Three, Jan Brueghel won this from Calandagan last year by outstaying Calandagan on good to soft ground, so with a bit of rain in the Saturday forecast, is the stamina of the St Leger winner going to do much the same again, specially with Illinois making the early fractions, and Lambourn remembering exactly where he is in the approach to Tattenham Corner. That’s the way I see it, but I’ll tell you this, Calandagan has progressed from last year, so if there’s not too much rain, he’s the one, though if there’s plenty of cut, Jan Brueghel comes right into it. What a race, could be ripe for an anyway exotic on the first three, if that’s your thing?

Betfred ‘Dash’ Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 3.15
Lexington Blitz
Lexington Blitz it is for the dash, and blitz it he could. We are on the fastest 5 furlong sprint track in the world, kinda blink and you miss it, but Edward Greatrex up top ain’t gonna blink until the furlong pole, and then he’s gonna unleash plenty of toe that Lexington Blitz showed at Goodwood last time out. Vintage Clarets could be a wild card each way pick if showing a return to form, and is 11lbs lower than when fifth last year, but Lexington Blitz is unexposed and just the type to take this at the death!

Betfred Derby (Group 1) (No Geldings) 4.00
Benvenuto Cellini (nb)
Right then, for the big one I’m gonna be totally boring and give you the favourite, Benvenuto Cellini. Of course, we all know that this is the one all the yards wanna win, such is the prestige of the Derby, but it is Aidan O’Brien who has inherited the Ballydoyle yard, where so many years ago Vincent O’Brien designed a replica of Tattenham Corner solely to train for this Classic. Obviously, that’s paid dividends over time, and it does look that Benvenuto Cellini is the yard’s number one, with Ryan Moore making that his choice. But, and it’s a big but, Pierre Bonnard and Christmas Day can both make a pretty bold bid for the fourth Classic of the season, while impressive Dante winner, Item, is gonna be marked off on plenty of punters’ lists. Too much rain a slight worry for Benvenuto Cellini, but he’s been aimed at this by the yard that’s won five of the last seven. Christmas Day and James J Braddock have an each way squeak, while Pierre Bonnard is Marie-Francoise’s choice under Christophe Soumillon, as she is under the spell of that French master, so take your pick from this lot!!

Cherryfield (Croydon) Lester Piggott Handicap 4.40
Hell Yeah He Ddid
I reckon I’ll take a chance on Ralph Beckett’s Hell Yeah He Did for the Lester Piggott Handicap. I mean, this race is about as wide open as the Bristol Channel, and the hardest pick of all the handicaps for me, but if there is some rain about on Saturday, Hell Yeah He Did will cope better than some of these. There’s been a bit of money about this week on Andrew Balding’s Allegresse, so I spose that with Oisin Murphy on board you’ve gotta have him on your list, but he didn’t show much for pressure in a Conditions Stakes at Goodwood last month, though it was a decent field. Maybe this extra trip will help, so Allegresse ain’t without a hope. Roger Varian’s Time Test colt, Starlight Time is a course winner, so must have some sort of chance, but it’s Hell Yeah He Did for me.

HKJC World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap 5.20
Elsass
Two from two this term, on the all-weather at Southwell and back on turf at Hamilton last time out. But what I really liked was this Sottsass gelding’s turn of foot once Connor Beasley gave ‘im a bit of rein, and Elsass has got an action that tells me he’ll be fine if there’s gonna be a bit of cut in the ground, so I’m finding him easy enough to back. That said, a bigger price winner in this type of handicap does pop up now and then, so I’d suggest at least a second look at George Scott’s top weight, Prydwen, who scored in blistering style in the final furlong at Ripon back in April. Prydwen does look a massive price for this, so is my each way pick, but I do fancy Elsass for the win.

JRA Tokyo Trophy Handicap 5.55
Fine Interview
Fine Interview’s got the job for the Tokyo Trophy Handicap, as far as I’m concerned, and surely this Havana Grey gelding is gonna be looking for some Black Type soon enough? He showed he was as good as ever returning this season at Doncaster in March, scoring comfortably by a length under Billy Loughnane, but James Doyle gets back in the saddle to resume a long standing partnership, and it could rain all day at Epsom and Fine Interview wouldn’t be bothered. I’d probably have Ralph Beckett’s Topwarrior down as my second choice, given conditions, but this is his first run of this term, so Fine Interview’s the one with all the answers for me!!