Betfred Derby: John Gosden expecting big run from Arrest

The trainer was pleased with his colt as he worked over just short of a mile at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning at Epsom Downs on Monday. The Chester Vase winner will be Frankie Dettori's final ride in the Classic and he was aboard the son of Frankel as he got his first taste of the unique track.

His trainer is confident he has the qualities needed to be a leading contender on Saturday week and played down fears the ground could be too lively for him.

"This horse can change gears, absolutely. He’s a big boy and he proved he stayed the other day (in the Chester Vase) when he handled the conditions. He doesn’t need it to be like that," Gosden said.

“He’s a big boy and they always say that when they’re leggy like that the track is trickier for them here, but Frankie said he got himself organised and came nicely on the bit down Tattenham Corner onto the straight – so he was pleased enough with him.

“I think it’s all about getting a feel for the track and not actually about finding out how fast they can go around the track today. I tend to save that for the following weekend. We clearly were pulling up at the half furlong marker, we weren’t going to the finish line and then rolling off down the hill, so it was very much an exercise gallop and not a test of ability.

“He was touched off in the Group One over a mile and a quarter at Saint-Cloud last year, so he was in the Derby then and he was the only one I had that was likely to come to the Derby and put up a bold show. You’re always lucky if you’ve got more than one to look at.

“In a way it’s about 4/1 or 5/1 the field and to that extent he belongs right up there with them. He’s got the stamina, to do what he did at Chester in ground like that shows he’s got the stamina, no problem.

“Stamina is a requirement in this race, the same for the Kentucky Derby going a mile and a quarter for the Americans, they see it as a marathon. Stamina wise you never really know until you go the mile and a half, you really don’t. Everybody thinks this is a downhill track, but it’s uphill, it rises 150 feet before you start going downhill, then you have a last section which climbs before the finish and it can catch a lot out on stamina.”

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