Blink and you'll miss it: speedsters set to fly in fastest five furlongs of all, the Dash

There are just 15 declared for this year’s running of the Aston Martin Dash over the fastest five furlongs in racing, the lowest turnout for the race since 2003 and the bottom five on the racecard are out of the handicap.

Progressive four-year-olds have won this for the last two years and Democracy Dilemma fits into that camp this time around.

He’s a rapid sprinter who likes to race close to the speed which is often an advantage over this course and distance and he produced a career-best RPR of 109 when just touched off at Windsor last week. He drifted left in the closing stages of that race, a trait he wouldn’t want to exhibit here, but his raw speed gives him every chance of being involved in the finish.

Karl Burke’s Looking For Lynda is the other four-year-old. He’s 5lb better off with Clarendon House for a narrow defeat at York's Dante meeting and may reverse the form given that this track should play to his strengths.

Burke’s first string is Silky Wilkie, who has come down a long way in the weights (8lb) since he was just touched off in this race last year, an effort that was worth marking up having met trouble in running.

James Evans’ Dream Composer has also dropped to an attractive handicap mark. He is yet to try Epsom, but several of his better runs have come at Goodwood, a five-furlong course with similar characteristics, and he returned to form when only beaten a neck at that venue last Friday.

Joe Leavy retains the ride and the talented apprentice has a 22 per cent strike-rate when riding for the yard (11-50) with a level-stakes profit of £38.83 to £1 stakes.
Race analysis by Phill Anderson

What they say

Tim Palin, racing manager to Middleham Park, owners of Silky Wilkie and Clarendon House
It was a massive performance from Clarendon House at York last time, but weight stops trains as they say and 9st 13lb is a welter burden. He’s going to have to be a Group horse to defy that mark. The other thing he has to overcome is a 19lb turnaround from Silky Wilkie from this race last year. Silky Wilkie, who is drawn highest of all in stall 15, comes into this maybe not quite in the same form as he did last year. We’ve stuck cheekpieces on him for the first time as he’s not an out-and-out five-furlong horse and does hit a flat spot in the middle of his races.

Roger Teal, trainer of Chipstead
He’s drawn nine of 15 and the higher the draw, the better. It’s not a disastrous draw and if he could get up on that top rail it would be a big advantage. It’s better than being drawn one. He’s not far off the middle and is in good order so we can’t complain. I had him in both races, but I’ve opted for the Dash because his best form is probably over five, albeit on stiffer tracks than Epsom.

James Evans, trainer of Dream Composer
He’s come out of his race at Goodwood last weekend in good shape and is just coming into form. We possibly could have done with a bit more rain.

David O'Meara, trainer of Alligator Alley
I'm not sure his draw in stall four will be ideal – normally you want to be in high numbers – but he's in good form and we'll see how he gets on.

Alice Haynes, trainer of Live In The Moment
It's a smaller field than it was last year and stall 11 of 15 is a relatively good draw. He's in good order, we've changed the headgear on him, we're claiming off him now and he's got a light enough weight. He's off a lower mark than he was last year and we're hoping to just jump and roll.

Paul Midgley, trainer of Lethal Nymph
He ran very well to be second to a potential Group horse at York last time, but stall two is a negative. We have a squeak, but it would have been louder with a higher draw.

Michael Keady, joint-trainer of Antiphon
He’s running from out of the weights, but Jack Doughty takes off a valuable 7lb. He's a tough and hardy horse who will be suited by the typically fast and furious nature of the race.
Reporting by David Milnes

Read Saturday's previews:

2.00 Epsom: It should be a penalty kick but can she be trusted? Running Lion bids for overdue first Group win

2.35 Epsom: Can nine-year-old Regal Reality defy the odds and become the oldest winner of the Diomed Stakes?

3.10 Epsom: 'He's a seriously fast horse' - full field of 20 get set for an intriguing three-year-old Dash

4.30 Epsom: 'He's always had loads of class and stamina' - Aidan O'Brien, Charlie Appleby and more on their big Derby hopefuls

Nobody knows what City Of Troy will do - and that's what makes this Derby so fascinating

'He has the best form around' - Epsom hero Martin Dwyer joins our panel of experts for Derby day