Epsom legend Steve Cauthen to join ITV Derby team as Desert Crown heads 21 hopes

Dual Derby-winning jockey Steve Cauthen will join ITV Racing's presentation team for the Epsom Classic next month as part of the special coverage to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The Kentucky-born Cauthen, who won the Derby for the late Henry Cecil aboard Slip Anchor in 1985 and Reference Point two years later, will be joined by fellow ex-jockey Jason Weaver and triple Derby-winning rider Johnny Murtagh.

Racecard for the Derby at Epsom on June 4 (4.30)

Cauthen remains the only jockey to have won both the Derby and its US equivalent in Kentucky and retains a strong affinity for the Surrey venue. Half of his ten British Classic wins came at the track, where he also won the Oaks three times for Cecil.

"Having won the Derby on both Slip Anchor and Reference Point, Epsom is a special place for me and to be presenting there for ITV on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend will be extraordinary," said Cauthen.

Westover will head to Epsom for the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning next MondayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Desert Crown and Stone Age headed 21 horses left in at Tuesday's scratching stage for the 243rd running of the world's most famous Flat race on June 4, with Sandown Classic Trial runner-up Cash, a 16-1 chance, the shortest-priced absentee among those taken out.

Sandown winner Westover remains on track for Epsom, where he will bid to give the late Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte racing operation a fourth Derby success – following on from Quest For Fame (1990), Commander In Chief (1993) and Workforce (2010) – and add Ralph Beckett to the list of current trainers to win both the Epsom Classics.

Westover may have slipped behind more recent trial winners in the estimation of some punters but Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon says everything has gone well to this point with his preparation.

"We're very happy with him," said Mahon. "One of the side effects of winning a trial is you have to carry a penalty most of the time if you want to run in another. He won his trial first start and Ralph was happy with the horse."

Juddmonte's Barry Mahon: 'We're very happy with Westover'Credit: Juddmonte Farms

Mahon added: "He’s going to have a look around the track on Monday at the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning and hopefully that will give him a little bit of experience of the track as well as another day away having only had the one run this year."

The son of Frankel is a brother to Group 3 winner Monarchs Glen, while his dam Mirabilis boasts a French Oaks winner in Nebraska Tornado as a half-sister.

"Hopefully he’ll be going in there with plenty of experience, he’s a professional enough type of horse and hopefully Monday will set him up for the Derby itself," Mahon said.

"I’m not overly concerned about the trip. His brother stayed a mile and a half and every indication he’s given Ralph at home leading into Sandown is that he would stay a mile and a half."

Aidan O'Brien looks set to saddle five runners, with the sidelined Luxembourg and Futurity Stakes winner Point Lonsdale the most high-profile not to feature among the acceptors.

Trial winners Changingoftheguard, Star Of India, Ivy League and United Nations remain alongside Leopardstown winner Stone Age, while Dante third Bluegrass has also been taken out.

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby has narrowed his options to Lingfield runner-up Walk Of Stars and Blue Riband Trial winner Nahanni, with New London and Franz Strauss both scratched.

The next stage comes with the six-day confirmations on Monday, May 30, when connections can also pay £75,000 to supplement.

Cazoo Derby (Epsom June 4)

1 Buckaroo Joseph O'Brien
2 Changingoftheguard Aidan O'Brien
3 Desert Crown Sir Michael Stoute
4 Eydon Roger Varian
5 Glory Daze Andy Oliver
6 Grand Alliance Charlie Fellowes
7 Hoo Ya Mal Andrew Balding
8 Ivy League Aidan O'Brien
9 Lysander William Haggas
10 Masekela Andrew Balding
11 Nahanni Charlie Appleby
12 Piz Badile Donnacha O'Brien
13 Royal Patronage Charlie & Mark Johnston
14 Sir Bob Parker David Menuisier
15 Sonny Liston Charlie Hills
16 Star Of India Aidan O'Brien
17 Stone Age Aidan O'Brien
18 United Nations Aidan O'Brien
19 Walk Of Stars Charlie Appleby
20 Westover Ralph Beckett
21 West Wind Blows Simon & Ed Crisford

Scratched Derby horses

Bluegrass Aidan O'Brien
Cash David Simcock
Claymore Jane Chapple-Hyam
Dillian Michael Bell
Duke De Sessa Dermot Weld
El Bodegon James Ferguson
Eldar Eldarov Roger Varian
Franz Strauss John and Thady Gosden
French Claim Paddy Twomey
Green Team Owen Burrows
Lionel David Menuisier
Luxembourg Aidan O'Brien
Magisterial John and Thady Gosden
Mr McCann Hugo Palmer
New London Charlie Appleby
Point Lonsdale Aidan O'Brien
Savvy Victory Sean Woods
Sea Stone Ismail Mohammed
Temple Of Artemis Aidan O'Brien
Waterville Aidan O'Brien
White Wolf Saeed bin Suroor
Zechariah Martyn Meade

Cazoo Derby (4.30 Epsom, June 4)

bet365: 2 Desert Crown, 5-2 Stone Age, 7 Changingoftheguard, Piz Badile, 12 United Nations, 14 Eydon, Star Of India, Westover 16 Nahanni, Walk Of Stars, 25 bar

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