2:40 Epsom Downs Tips

French raider Calandagan is ultra-consistent, winning four of their nine starts and being placed in each of the other runs, having been at the highest level. 2nd in the Juddmonte to City of Troy (who broke the track record), going down a length over furlongs shorter than today's trip, which should be more suitable. The one they all have to beat. Major chance.

Jan Brueghel did well last year with four wins, with two in G1 and the last in September, a G1, all winning by the same margin. He returned in April to a G3 second. I would expect more today, now back at a decent weight.

Giavellotto is possibly better at staying distances, having run 3rd in the St Leger as a three-year-old. His career peaked last December when finding a way through a wall of horses in the straight at Sha Tin to win the valuable Group 1 Hong Kong Vase over this distance. He also easily won a 12f Group 2 at Newmarket last season. He was less good at Meydan when behind Calatagan, but that horse has yet to win a Group 1, and Giavellotto could get his revenge here at Epsom. St Leger winner Jan Breughel needs to bounce back from losing his unbeaten record at the Curragh in a Group 3, but he had only scraped home by a neck in his previous three wins.

With two Group 3s and one Group 1, Ancient Wisdom also ran a good third in Germany last season. Ran a good second when last seen and looks worth an e.w. on this ground.

So, at the odds, You Got To Me ended up being too big a price not to be tempted. This race is hardly littered with winning fillies, but she gets a bit of weight. She’ll need it to compete with the best of these on ratings, but she could be one that shakes up the pace a bit. Whilst she didn’t stay the Leger trip and was firmly put in her place, this is a different test to that, and it’s a track where she’s already finished a fair 4th in the Oaks. She travelled fairly sweetly in that race as well, and I suspect perhaps she may just prove to be a better horse fresh given she won on debut and won on reappearance as a 3yo. She’s a half sister to a horse that has also placed 2nd twice here, so there’s hope she’s just a better horse here.

James Doyle gets the ride on Bellum Justum, who is trained by Andrew Balding and owned by King Power Racing. This colt by Sea The Stars has had plenty of racing and may not have the class to win this, but at 33/1 is worth a punt to finish 2nd.