Nick Luck’s blog: Arrest can give Frankie a fairytale ending

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck casts his expert eye over the Derby Day card from Epsom and predicts a fairytale last Derby for Frankie Dettori.

Epsom, Saturday

I’m going to play a straight bat in the opening Diomed Stakes (12.50pm) – the race that kicks off Derby Day at Epsom – as I find it hard to see past HIGHLAND AVENUE at 6/5. He’s a horse I’ve always liked and the form of his run at Newmarket has been franked with Anmaat winning that Group 1 in France. He might be a short-priced favourite, but he looks very solid here.

In what is a wide-open Derby (1.30pm), I’m in the ARREST camp at 4/1. I see very few horses who have the form and pedigree combined to win this race and I have a feeling there is a lot more to come from this horse. He has Group 1 form, has guaranteed stamina and I feel the draw in 13 will work in his favour. I have a feeling they’ll get racing towards the outside gates and that should work perfectly for Frankie to do what he does best.

POTAPOVA is taken to win the Princess Elizabeth (2.10pm) at 5/2. I find it interesting that she’s coming back so quickly after that run at Goodwood and that suggests to me that she’s fine. If she is, conditions will suit perfectly and she can make amends for last year’s defeat.

The 3YO Dash (2.45pm) can go the way of ESTATE at 6/1. He was better value than the winning margin suggested at Salisbury and the handicapper could have been much tougher than he has been. Oisin Murphy has been booked which is hardly a bad thing.

Make full use of William Hill’s six places in the Dash (3.20pm) as it looks very very tricky. You can make a case for loads in here, but the one I came down on was CLARENDON HOUSE at 17/2. The stable going better now, and I thought the run at York was most encouraging considering he lost a shoe. A pure test of speed should suit.

BALANCE PLAY is near the head of the market in the Lester Piggott handicap (3.55pm) and I can totally see why. He’s very lightly raced, completely exposed and has been brought along really nicely by his trainer. He won’t have to do as much of his own donkey work as he did at Salisbury and he should run very well at 4/1.

SCAMPI is taken to follow up in the 1m4f handicap (4.30pm). It was hard not to be impressed by what he did at York and I don’t see any reason why he won’t go in again. He’s gone up six pounds in the handicap but that might underestimate him and he could easily be a Pattern Class horse now. 3/1 could end up being very generous.

MR WAGYU is taken to win the final (5.05pm) again at 4/1. He’s only two pounds higher than he was when victorious 12 months ago and he should now be cherry-ripe for another bold showing after a few sighters so far this term. He’s still nicely handicapped on the peak of his form, notably that win at the Curragh last September.