'At 10-1, I'm in' - Paul Kealy's five horses to take from Epsom's Derby meeting

Like a lot of punters I suppose, I like to spend a few hours after a big meeting rewatching videos of the action to see if I can pick up on anything for the future, and a few have gone into my imaginary notebook.

I say imaginary as I've always been the sort of person who never bothered taking notes and just relied on memory, but I have to concede that needs to change as I edge ever further towards senility.

For the past several months I haven't been much better than evens to drink the cup of tea I've made in the evening but I surpassed myself recently by making a cup, forgetting to drink it, putting it in the microwave to warm it up for a couple of minutes and then getting up in the morning to find it still there, so the idea that I can still remember all the horses I want to follow is fanciful to say the least.

I suppose the horse tracker is the way to go but I've always avoided it as I fear the likelihood that once they're in there, you're going to find yourself biased towards them.

Still, I've got so many cliff horses in my head anyway (Mondammej, Korker, etc) that I'm clearly like that without writing them down so perhaps there's no harm.

Anyway, here are five who caught my eye over the two-day Derby meeting at Epsom.

Bluelight Bay

I must admit I thought Friday's action was lacking in future pointers outside of the obviously impressive win for Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup.

I certainly wouldn't be going anywhere near the front two in the Oaks if and when they take on open company as I thought that race was weak and the fact the two-length third was filly rated 99 having her ninth start almost certainly makes it questionable form.

It took until the last race, a 7f handicap, for something to pique my interest, and that was Bluelight Bay for Eve Johnson Houghton.

A 33-1 shot on his first run after being gelded, Bluelight Bay was held up near the back early but never seemed to handle any part of the track, and by the time they had straightened up for him he was stone last and seemingly going nowhere.

He managed to pass six of his 11 rivals in the final couple of furlongs, though, despite clearly hating the track, and I think he can be given a huge mark-up, so it's interesting to see the handicapper drop him 2lb to a mark of 90.

Johnson Houghton thought enough of Bluelight Bay to run him in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood last season, and while he made no show, he's already dropped 8lb since he first received a handicap mark.

Where he goes is the question, but given he finished strongly, he's worth a go at a mile, and while he'd be a massive price if he squeezed into something like the Britannia at Royal Ascot, I'd definitely give him a second look.

Sprewell

I backed Sprewell in the Derby and, while I'm not saying he was unlucky not to win, he is an awful lot better than he showed all the same and should have been a clear third.

Sprewell may not quite have handled the quick ground and definitely didn't handle the track, and he also ran into the backsides of a bunch of retreating horses when trying to make his move.

You may think it's unlikely he will turn the form around with the front two in the Irish Derby at the Curragh next month, but I wouldn't mind betting he'll go close. At 10-1, I'm in.

Silky Wilkie

There was plenty of controversy in the Dash with a third of the field's starting stalls opening a fraction late and I found it hard to believe the race wasn't declared void or that those affected were not declared non-runners. They may have only lost a length at the start, but we are talking about the world's fastest five furlongs.

Silky Wilkie (blue silks, orange cap): narrowly denied in a controversial Dash at EpsomCredit: John Grossick

Anyway, Silky Wilkie, who dotted up the last time he ran in handicap company when winning the Scottish Sprint Cup off 99, would have done so again here off 107 if he'd got a clear run.

He couldn't quite cut it in Group company on his two starts after Musselburgh, but he didn't really have his perfect conditions and is going to at some point for sure.

Balance Play

I was going to put up Torito, but given he won the 1m2f handicap by nearly three lengths off a mark of 95 I thought that was a bit obvious. He is going to have a high enough handicap mark to squeeze into some of the bigger open handicaps as a three-year-old, assuming Group races are not the plan.

Of more immediate interest is the third, Balance Play, who promised to relish the step up to 1m2f after splitting two subsequent winners over 7f at Salisbury.

He did that, but what was surprising given his earlier form is that he was already beginning to feel the heat a long way from home and spent most of the home straight being outpaced.

He was really picking up again in the closing stages, though, and he wants a stiffer test at the trip on a more conventional track or a further step up.

I'm pretty sure the form is strong, and while Balance Play remains some way short of the form achieved by half-brother Khalidi, who was second in the King Edward VII Stakes in 2017, he may well be Royal Ascot-bound himself.

The King George V Handicap over 1m4f could be a possibility, although he'd have been 1lb too low to get in last year, but he'd have got into the Golden Gates over 1m2f. Keep an eye on him anyway.

Sheer Rocks

Sheer Rocks hacked up in the 1m4f Northern Dancer Handicap and I was surprised to see him raised only 5lb to a mark of 94.

This is another Eve Johnson Houghton-trained horse who was once quite highly regarded as he was tried in the Epsom Classic trial on his return last season and ended up running in some very valuable handicaps despite being an outsider.

The gelding operation certainly looks to have worked and he has now won in commanding fashion on both soft and good to firm ground this season.

The first win came at Ascot, and if he goes back there for the Duke of Edinburgh he has a first-rate chance.

This is a free sample of Paul Kealy's Betting World, an email that's sent every Wednesday to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers as part of The Ultimate Daily, our evening email newsletter service.

You can join now and get 50% off Members' Club Ultimate Monthly for three months, just in time for Royal Ascot 2023 when you can access exclusive daily tipping insight from Pricewise guru Tom Segal, top tipster Paul Kealy and pro punter Johnny Dineen.

To redeem this Members' Club Ultimate Monthly offer, head to the checkout and enter the code WELCOME2023 at the payment screen to unlock your discount*. Subscribe now.

Read these next:

Royal Ascot Q&A: put your betting questions to top tipsters Paul Kealy and Keith Melrose 

'She never gave up when she had every right to' - Tom Segal with his takeaways from Epsom 

Subscribe today and get set for a sizzling summer of Flat racing with 50% off your first three months 

Stay ahead of the field with 50 per cent off the ultimate racing subscription. Enjoy the Racing Post digital newspaper and award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing. Plus, make informed betting decisions with our expert tips and form study tools. Head to the subscription page and select 'Get Ultimate Monthly', then enter the code WELCOME2023 to get 50 per cent off your first three months*.

*Available to new subscribers purchasing Members' Club Ultimate Monthly using code WELCOME2023.

First three payments will be charged at £19.98, subscription renews at full monthly price thereafter.

Offer expires 31/12/2023. Customers wishing to cancel will need to contact us at least seven days before their subscription is due to renew.