Roger Varian is counting down the days until the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with Eldar Eldarov following his hugely encouraging return at York last week.

The Dubawi colt was a nose winner of the Queen’s Vase at the Royal meeting last season and went on to claim Classic glory in the St Leger at Doncaster in September.

He had to concede weight all round on his his four-year-old debut in the Group Two Yorkshire Cup and powered home to be beaten just half a length in second place by St Leger third Giavellotto.

Varian is confident his charge will improve for the run and also views the step up from a mile and three-quarters to two and a half miles in next month’s Ascot showpiece as a positive.

“He’s great, he couldn’t have taken it (the run) better and I’ve been delighted with him this week,” said the Newmarket handler.

“His profile looks good for the Gold Cup and the St Leger form is starting to show its worth now.

“His run at York would excite anyone, whoever’s camp he was in. It was just a good run, he hit the line strong, he gave weight to the field and looks like he’ll improve over a bit further.

“We’re looking forward to it.”

Eldar Eldarov is a 4-1 shot with Paddy Power for the Gold Cup, making him their clear second-favourite behind Andrew Balding’s 3-1 market leader Coltrane.

Ian Williams’ Enemy returns to Sandown for another crack at the Racehorse Lotto Henry II Stakes on Thursday.

The six-year-old spent his winter in the Middle East and returned significantly richer having won the Dubai Racing Club Classic at Meydan before a second-placed finish in the highly valuable Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia.

He then came home eighth in the Dubai Gold Cup back at Meydan in late March, after which he began his domestic campaign in the Group Three Ormonde Stakes at Chester’s May meeting.

Enemy was fifth behind by William Haggas’ Hamish in the Roodee feature, though Williams feels he fared well considering the testing conditions and will be more at home on better ground in Esher, where Frankie Dettori takes the ride.

“The ground probably got a little bit too soft for him at Chester last time, but he acquitted himself well and remains in good form,” the trainer said.

“Conditions should be more to suit on Thursday.”

Enemy was fifth in the Group Three race last season as Quickthorn prevailed for Hughie Morrison, but the run was luckless and Williams feels the gelding was not shown to best effect.

He said: “I don’t know that it’s not a deeper race but the way that race was won last year, he got a long way out and had a lot of ground to make up, so I think you can put a line through that.”

Elsewhere is Andrew Balding’s Nate The Great, second last season and fifth behind Silver Sonic and Enemy in the Red Sea at Riyadh.

Haggas’ Roberto Escobarr joins the line-up, as do Harry and Roger Charlton’s Sleeping Lion and Hiroo Shimizu’s French-trained Princess Anne.

All eyes will be on Blue Storm as James Tate’s two-year-old takes his chance in the Racehorse Lotto National Stakes at Sandown on Thursday.

It looks a red-hot renewal of the Listed five-furlong sprint, but Blue Storm is just one of an array of precocious youngsters to emerge from the first crop of former sprint king Blue Point.

The form of the colt’s Newmarket debut has been franked at all angles in the subsequent weeks, with the second, third, fourth and fifth all winning in style on their next starts.

And although buoyed by those results and excited to see his charge line up at the Esher track, Tate is refusing to get too carried away having seen the National Stakes scupper dreams in the past.

He said: “We were very impressed with him first time and the form couldn’t have worked out any better. He’s been impressing at home and it’s all positives really.

“Having said that I’ve ran horses in the National Stakes a few times and on paper it looks a strong renewal, so it’s a good job we’re bringing what we think is a good horse in to it.

“We’re happy with our horse and looking forward to Thursday night.”

Hugo Palmer won this two years ago and this time saddles Hackman, who was third behind Blue Storm at Newmarket but now reopposes having advertised his speed to win impressively at Chester, while Charlie Appleby’s On Point is another of Blue Point’s progeny arriving at Sandown having won on the Rowley Mile first time out.

Richard Hannon may be a fair way off matching his father’s impressive haul in this race, but landed the spoils in both 2014 and 2015 and has two worthy contenders once again in Dapper Valley and Love Billy Boy.

The form of Dapper Valley’s soft-ground Newbury win has a solid look to it, while the latter ran on strongly to land the spoils at Musselburgh on debut.

“Obviously we have two very nice horses who both won on their debuts and naturally they will come on a lot for their first runs,” said Hannon.

“I think fast ground will be more to Dapper Valley’s liking.

“Love Billy Boy has a lot of speed and won over a sharp five up north. It’s a very lucky race for David Sullivan (part owner), who has won it a couple of times, and they are keen to take their chance.

“It’s an extremely hot renewal and whatever wins it will be probably amongst the favourites for Royal Ascot if they go.”

Ralph Beckett’s Matters Most finished third to Dapper Valley at Newbury, but the son of Advertise – who cost 500,000 as a yearling – built on that racecourse bow to get off the mark at Salisbury last time and could have plenty more to offer.

“He’s in good shape, we’re looking forward to it and we’ll find out how good he is on Thursday night,” said Beckett.

Irish interest is provided by Tipperary scorer Son Of Corballis, with handler Kieran Cotter keen to get extra experience into the Raven’s Pass colt before a potential Royal Ascot tilt.

“There are limited opportunities for him here in Ireland over five furlongs and we just thought to give him this prep run before Royal Ascot,” said Cotter.

“The plan is to go for the Norfolk with him and we like him a lot, but we just need to get more of a line on him really and I suppose we’ll know more after Thursday.

“We think he’s smart and we’re confident enough to bring him over. He has a good temperament and is a smart sort, but we haven’t had that proper line on him just yet.”

Karl Burke is another handler saddling two runners and both Doncaster scorer Elite Status and Pontefract winner World Of Darcy created taking impressions, while Alice Haynes’ Shayekh completes a strong field of 10 going to post.

Owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar is targeting the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and a possible Arc bid with Nashwa ahead of her reappearance at Saint-Cloud this weekend.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Frankel filly enjoyed an excellent three-year-old campaign, claiming Classic glory in the French Oaks under Hollie Doyle before doubling her Group One tally in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

She subsequently finished second in the Prix de l’Opera and fourth at the Breeders’ Cup, and with an initial plan to bring her back in last week’s Middleton Stakes at York shelved, Nashwa instead makes her return in the Group Two Prix Corrida on Sunday.

“Nashwa is in great form,” Al Sagar told Sky Sports Racing.

“We were targeting the Middleton at York as a prep race for main target, which is the Prince of Wales’s at Royal Ascot, but she is a big filly and takes a lot of time to come to hand, which she has now. Her work is superb and we’re heading to Saint-Cloud on Sunday, hopefully.”

The prominent owner said he had no doubts about bringing Nashwa back into training as a four-year-old and is hopeful there may even be more improvement to come.

He added: “It was a very simple decision as I know the family.

“Her dam (Princess Loulou) was at her best at four, so they thrive with age, and Nashwa is definitely no exception – she’s a stronger and bigger filly this year.”

Although his star filly seemingly failed to see out the mile and a half when third in the Oaks at Epsom, Al Sagar hopes her stronger physique will give her a chance to do so this season, giving him hope of a potential tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October.

Considering future plans, he said: “She’s entered in the Eclipse and the Irish Champion Stakes. It is premature at the moment and we will have a better idea after the Prince of Wales’s if all goes well.

“Going back to the Oaks last year we went into unknown territory and she didn’t stay the mile and a half, but this year, being stronger, we think she might reach that target and she’s entered in the Arc.

“Nashwa is a very special filly with a great cruising speed and her temperament is phenomenal.”

Jack Davison will train Thunderbear “like a good horse” having seen him produce a career best in the Lacken Stakes at Naas.

Before finishing just over a length fourth with his sights raised on Sunday, the son of Kodi Bear had been campaigning in handicap company and was sent off an unfancied 50-1 for the Group Three contest despite scoring with real ease when last sighted on a raiding mission to Nottingham.

However, he outran his odds in the manner of a rapidly improving sprinter and his performance was not missed by the Irish handicapper, who has subsequently raised the three-year-old 9lb to a mark of 107.

Davison has previously enjoyed big sprint success with Mooneista, who is now trained by Joseph O’Brien, and is excited to see how far up the ladder Thunderbear can climb having finished so close to the well-regarded The Antarctic at Naas.

“It was a super run and he’s a progressive horse who is rated 107 now,” said the trainer.

“I’m really happy with him and he’s going to be a good horse for me now this year.

“He’s one of the best three-year-olds in the country over that distance now and I think there is more improvement there. He is a nice one to have in the stable this year and I’ll train him like a good horse. We’ll pick his battles a little bit and hopefully that will pay off.

“We’ve got plenty of options over six and seven furlongs, I just have to have a good think about where we go next.

“He has that much pace he could be effective over a stiff five and he’s ground versatile, so we have plenty of options and we’re looking forward to seeing where he ends up.”

Having seen his official rating sky rocket on the back of his Naas performance, handicaps are now off the table and with the Jersey Stakes the only realistic option available at Royal Ascot, Davison is leaning towards targeting the Irish sprinting programme for the time being.

He continued: “His mark has gone now for any of the handicaps, but I always knew he was a Group horse in the making.

“Obviously, being a gelding, he can’t run in the Commonwealth Cup. The Jersey Stakes is a possibility, but I would say it is likely we will stay domestic for the next couple of months.”

Kieran Cotter is looking forward to taking on the colts with Matilda Picotte when his 1000 Guineas third drops back to six furlongs at Haydock on Saturday.

The daughter of Sioux Nation had never raced over further than seven furlongs before striding out onto the Rowley Mile for the opening fillies’ Classic of the year, but gave a fine account when attempting to make all and kept on gamely for a spot on the podium.

Now she will drop back to the distance both her career victories have come at for the Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane Stakes where the opposition could include the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s Little Big Bear and last year’s Coventry Stakes winner Bradsell.

The outcome of her trip to Lancashire could determine whether Matilda Picotte then takes up her entry in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot or has another crack at seven furlongs in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in early July.

“We’re the only filly in the race, but she has taken them (colts and geldings) on before,” said Cotter.

“I know we get 3lb, which is probably not a whole lot, but we don’t see anything there to be totally afraid of. Of course we respect them but we’re not afraid of them.

“She has proper six furlong pace so we’ll just see where the land lies with her before the decision has to be made whether she goes for the Commonwealth Cup or not as she could go for the Prix Jean Prat in France.”

Reflecting on Matilda Picotte’s 1000 Guineas endeavours, Cotter was thrilled with how his charge once again was able to outrun her odds to mix it with the very best.

He added: “The mile at Newmarket is probably the only mile we would have run her over. She had form at the track and we knew she would handle it very well.

“Not a lot of people know this, but the fillies race was almost four seconds faster than the colts and her time for the mile was faster than the winner of the 2000 Guineas the day before. Her second furlong was I think 11 seconds so she did phenomenally well to hold on for third.

“She’s competed at the highest level of company throughout her career and has acquitted herself exceptionally well every single time.”

Royal Scotsman has been supplemented for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, the Gleneagles colt had a busy time at two, winning the Richmond Stakes and finishing second in the Dewhurst to Chaldean.

He once again found Andrew Balding’s charge too good in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when a fine third after racing keenly in the early stages.

Alex Cole, racing manager for Fitri Hay, who owns Royal Scotsman, confirmed: “We have supplemented him, so fingers crossed.

“He seems in good form so we thought we’d roll the dice again.”

One place in front of Royal Scotsman at Newmarket was Kevin Ryan’s 125-1 outsider Hi Royal and the two are on course to clash again.

The fourth, Galeron, is also on target along with eighth-placed Charyn, while Knight could represent Simon and Ed Crisford.

Aidan O’Brien has three contenders, headed by Paddington, who could be joined by Cairo and Age Of Kings.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Group One-winning two-year-old Proud And Regal is also among the 12 contenders.

In the Greenlands Stakes, Charlie Hills’ Garrus could aim to follow up his Abernant win at Newmarket, with potential rivals including Michael O’Callaghan’s Twilight Jet in a field of nine.

In the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, Dermot Weld holds a very strong hand in his attempt to follow up the victory of Homeless Songs last year.

He could field Tahiyra, a narrow second at Newmarket, and Tarawa, second in a Group Three on her return to action.

“We’ll make a decision about Tahiyra in the next day or two, but she’s most likely to run,” said Weld.

“It’s just like any other horse, you just want to check all the parameters out and if we’re happy with everything when the time comes, she runs. And right now, she’s most likely to run.

“The same applies with Tarawa. A decision will be made on her, if not tomorrow, then on Thursday. but she’s quite a possibility to run as well.

“We’re very happy with both fillies.”

Aidan O’Brien has four of the 11, headed by Breeders’ Cup winner Meditate. She could be joined by Dower House, Never Ending Story and the supplemented Jackie Oh.

Fozzy Stack also has a couple of options in Aspen Grove and You Send Me, while John Quinn’s Breege is a possible British raider.

Jean-Claude Rouget has supplemented Vadeni for the Tattersalls Gold Cup, in which he could face Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg, who is looking to bounce back from a disappointing seasonal return.

Point Lonsdale is another Coolmore possible while Bay Bridge has been left in by Sir Michael Stoute and Anmaat is another UK-based contender.

Vadeni will line up in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on Sunday after being supplemented at a cost of €45,000.

The four-year-old son of Churchill, who is owned and was bred by the Aga Khan, is trained in Pau, France, by Jean-Claude Rouget.

He won the Prix de Guiche, the Prix du Jockey Club and the Coral-Eclipse last season, having also been supplemented for the latter.

The bay was then third to Luxembourg in the Irish Champion Stakes and second by half a length to Alpinista in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, after which he began his season this time around in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp and finished fourth of seven runners.

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes has been mentioned as a target for the first half of the colt’s season and as the Tattersalls Gold Cup falls neatly between the Ganay and the Royal meeting he has been added to the Group One at the Kildare track.

Georges Rimaud, the Aga Khan’s racing and breeding manager in France, said of the timing of the Curragh race: “There’s a logic to going and running in this race, that’s why we’ve chosen this one.

“Hopefully it will make good sense and he will perform well, I hear there’s no rain planned and we’re not really worried about the type of ground he is going to run on anyway. He has, in the past, liked this sort of fast-ish ground so he should be fine.

“The horse is doing well, he has improved from his last race. We are hoping for a good run from him, the ground should suit him.”

Vadeni is likely to face a familiar rival in Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg, with Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge, who finished in front of him in the Ganay, also entered.

“It should be a good race, it often is, but this is Vadeni and he is a Group One horse and should be campaigned at that level,” Rimaud said.

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes remains Vadeni’s target come June, though naturally the Irish trip needs to be considered a success for that plan to be pursued.

Rimaud said: “We’ll go a step at a time, that is part of the plan but each part of the plan needs to go well so we’ll see after the race.”

Vadeni’s entry at the Curragh makes matters easier regarding the next steps of last season’s Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Erevann, who will go to the Prix d’Ispahan now it is not on the agenda for his stablemate.

Rimaud confirmed: “That is the plan, he’s going to run in the Prix d’Ispahan.”

A Group One gap on James Tate’s training CV could be filled this year by Royal Aclaim, who is set to return to action in Saturday’s Betfred Temple Stakes at Haydock.

The filly was sent off 5-2 favourite to provide Tate with a breakthrough success in the Nunthorpe last season, but finished sixth behind Highfield Princess.

On her only outing afterwards she was third in a French Group Three – but, as the Nunthorpe winner showed, sprinters tend to improve with racing and with just five runs under her belt, Royal Aclaim has plenty of scope for improvement.

“The sprinting division is often open at this stage of the year and we don’t know what will turn out to be best. Stars always emerge in the sprinting division and we are hoping she will be one of them,” said Tate.

“She is a bit bigger and a bit stronger, but she is really well in herself at the moment and is moving really well.

“We are really hopeful she can pick up where she left off and improve a little bit. She has only had five races in her life so surely she is going to improve.”

Tate has trained other Group-winning sprinters, like Invincible Army and Far Above, but feels Royal Aclaim could be the one to take him to the next level.

“In natural talent at home she is right at the top, but it is about what they can do on the track and she needs to just be a little bit more streetwise and get those sprinting muscles,” he said.

“Sadly I haven’t got a Group One on the CV yet. She has definitely got the talent, but she has obviously only got five runs to her belt. We are hoping she can add the other weapons to her armoury and do it for us.”

Royal Scotsman has been supplemented for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, the Gleneagles colt had a busy time at two, winning the Richmond Stakes and finishing second in the Dewhurst to Chaldean.

He once again found Andrew Balding’s charge too good in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when a fine third after racing keenly in the early stages.

Alex Cole, racing manager for Fitri Hay, who owns Royal Scotsman, confirmed: “We have supplemented him, so fingers crossed.

“He seems in good form so we thought we’d roll the dice again.”

One place in front of Royal Scotsman at Newmarket was Kevin Ryan’s 125-1 outsider Hi Royal and the two are on course to clash again.

The fourth, Galeron, is also on target, with Knight (seventh) and Charyn (eighth) others to meet again.

Aidan O’Brien has three contenders, headed by Paddington, who could be joined by Cairo and Age Of Kings.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Group One-winning two-year-old Proud And Regal is also among the 12 contenders.

In the Greenlands Stakes, Charlie Hill’s Garrus could aim to follow up his Abernant win at Newmarket, with potential rivals including Michael O’Callaghan’s Twilight Jet in a field of nine.

In the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, Dermot Weld holds a very strong hand in his attempt to follow up the victory of Homeless Songs last year.

He fields Tahiyra, a narrow second at Newmarket, and Tarawa, second in a Group Three on her return to action.

Aidan O’Brien has four of the 11, headed by Breeders’ Cup winner Meditate. She could be joined by Dower House, Never Ending Story and the supplemented Jackie Oh.

Fozzy Stack also has a couple of options in Aspen Grove and You Send Me, while John Quinn’s Breege is a possible British raider.

Jean-Claude Rouget has supplemented Vadeni for the Tattersalls Gold Cup, in which he could face Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg, who is looking to bounce back from a disappointing seasonal return.

Point Lonsdale is another Coolmore possible while Bay Bridge has been left in by Sir Michael Stoute and Anmaat is another UK-based contender.

Connections were left frustrated following Marshman’s appearance in York’s 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes last week and will now make a late decision on whether he will line up in the King’s Stand Stakes or Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

The Karl Burke-trained three-year-old had finished second in the Gimcrack on his previous visit to the Knavesmire and headed into the Group Two contest having won three of his five career outings following a comeback win at Chantilly in the Group Three Prix Sigy.

However, a tardy start meant Clifford Lee was unable to get the son of Harry Angel to challenge in the ideal spot from his draw of stall two and although travelling with some menace out wide on the flank, his pursuit of glory petered out in the closing stages to be beaten three lengths in fifth.

“Everything kind of went wrong,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of owners Nick Bradley Racing.

“I haven’t watched it many times because when you don’t enjoy what you see, you don’t tend to go back and watch it that much.

“He bunny hopped at the start and lost one or two lengths. Cliff wasn’t able to come down the centre of the track because he had horses on his right and ended up definitely challenging on the wrong side of the track.

“He came there and loomed up at the two pole, as did the winner and Highfield Princess, but he just didn’t see it out. I’m putting that down to him losing a few lengths at the start and having to challenge on the worst part of the track.

“I think if he was drawn 10 and bunny hopped the start, he’s definitely in the first three – where I don’t know. If he’s drawn 10 and doesn’t bunny hop the start, I think he could have been in the first two.”

Having travelled powerfully it is easy to envisage Marshman dropping back to the stiff five furlongs of the King’s Stand at the Royal meeting, but Bradley is keen to bide his time and see how the fields are shaping up before making a decision.

“It’s very easy to say that because of the way he ran, but there are legitimate excuses,” said Bradley of the prospect of running over five furlongs. “You are walking away from York frustrated because a big day hasn’t gone your way.

“We’re not going to make any quick decisions. We will watch the Sandy Lane this weekend and see how the races pan out and see nearer the time.

“I think I would rather run him over five than six at Ascot, but we will see how the races look like.”

A laid-back temperament is sure to help Sprewell as he bids to give Jessica Harrington a maiden Derby victory.

That is the message from the County Kildare handler, whose three-year-old son of Churchill is charting a course to the Epsom Classic on Saturday week.

Sprewell has blossomed this term, winning both starts, including an impressive three-length victory in the Group Three Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.

“I’ve been delighted with him,” said Harrington. “We knew he would come on over the winter and he has run two good, solid races since.

“He came out of Leopardstown very well. He definitely stepped forward from there again and we are looking forward to Saturday week.

“I think the step up to a mile and a half will definitely suit him. He ran through the line very strong and he’s a very nice, relaxed horse, which is the main thing.

“Nothing seems to faze him and I think going the mile and a half will suit him, because I think he will settle well, which he has done in both of his races this year.”

Harrington has previously been better known for training jumping stars such as Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John, Champion Hurdler Jezki and Champion Chaser Moscow Flyer.

Yet in recent times she has acquired more Flat horses – and quality ones at that.

She has won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with Alpine Star and Alpha Centauri, who also took top-class success in the Falmouth, Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Prix Jacques le Marois, while Millisle landed the Cheveley Park and Albigna the Prix Marcel Boussac.

She is no stranger to Classic glory, annexing the Irish Oaks last season with Magical Lagoon before a tough period in her personal life following a breast cancer diagnosis in October.

On a conference call to promote the Betfred-sponsored blue riband, Harrington added: “Things are great and I’m lucky enough.

“I’ve finished the worst part of it probably now, the chemotherapy, and we are just going onto the next stage now. It will take a bit longer, but I’ll be out and about very shortly.

“I’ve been very lucky enough to have a great support team. My daughter Kate and my son-in-law and my other daughter Emma, they’ve been around all winter, keeping things going.

“I did my best to get out every single day I could to look at the horses, because that was the best therapy I reckoned I had, because it was just lovely looking at the horses every day.

“I went racing last Friday at Leopardstown, but I go when it is nice and near when I can.

“I will most likely be watching the Derby at home, but I just don’t know. I’ll see how I get on.”

Harrington has only had one runner in the Derby before, with 150-1 chance Gold Maze finishing ninth to Serpentine, a renewal run during the Covid pandemic in July 2020.

Sprewell goes to Epsom with a greater degree of confidence behind him as a general 12-1 chance and the 76-year-old feels his rapid progress this year, after two runs as a juvenile, will stand him in good stead.

“He’s done everything we hoped he would do,” said Harrington. “We were fairly confident going to Naas for the conditions race, rather than going for a maiden. He did that well and he learned a bit that day.

“He made a big step forward when we sent him to Leopardstown and he hit the line very strong that day, having come round the outside.”

“I think he will improve for racing,” she added. “He’s a fine, big horse.

“We are very happy with the temperament he’s got so far. He’s a laid-back horse and he’s very straightforward, and each time he’s run, he’s walked round the parade ring in a very relaxed manner.

“I know there will be much more hype and buzz in Epsom, but so far he has been very good.”

Physically and mentally, the difference between last year and this has been startling.

She added: “We always thought he would be a better three-year-old than a two-year-old. He never looked like a two-year-old. He was big and backward-looking all the way through last summer.

“He had to grow into himself and then seemed to get organised mentally. He had to grow up mentally more than anything else, he was very babyish last year.”

Those looking to pick holes in his form will point to the ground conditions. All four previous runs have some with plenty of ease and not once has the word ‘good’ entered the going description.

However, Sprewell’s conditioner feels this is something of an outlier and should they race on quick ground at Epsom, she believes it will not be a major factor.

Harrington said: “I think they will all go on it once. He is a low-moving horse, he is a very good-moving horse and I see no reason why he won’t run very well on it.

“It is just out of circumstances he’s run on soft ground, because it was a wet autumn in Ireland last year and it has been a wet spring.”

The Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Abdulrahim-owned colt has ticked every box thus far. Shane Foley’s mount will, of course, have to overcome Epsom’s idiosyncrasies of cambers and undulations, but Sprewell has plenty of the right attributes.

“He is a very well-balanced horse, so I’m hoping he will cope with it fine,” said Harrington.

“It would be very special to win the Derby. It’s on the bucket list. It is great to go there with a horse that’s got a chance. It’s very exciting.”

David Probert is set for a swift return to action having escaped serious injury when kicked at Windsor on Monday night.

The incident occurred in the parade ring before the 5.35 race where Probert was due to ride Bits And Bobs for Andrew Balding and having been kicked by his intended mount, green screens were put in place while he was attended to before being taken to the nearby Slough hospital.

However, there appears to be no lasting damage, with Probert tweeting on Monday night that his X-rays had come back all clear and that he was simply sore and bruised.

He intends to return to the saddle on Wednesday where he has a full book of rides at Kempton’s evening all-weather meeting.

“I’ve spoken to David this morning and he is just bruised. All being well he will be back tomorrow,” said Neil Allan, the jockey’s agent.

“He won’t be riding today because he is bruised, but he was in good spirits when I spoke to him this morning.”

Owen Burrows will walk the course at Sandown on Thursday before deciding whether or not to allow Hukum to run in the Racehorse Lotto Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

Hukum is set to face a field that includes Desert Crown, last year’s Derby winner – who is similarly due to make his return from a long absence – in a mouthwatering renewal of the 10-furlong Group Three contest.

However, the Lambourn trainer hinted that if there is not enough moisture in the ground, he could withdraw his six-year-old, who is scheduled to make his comeback after an injury which has sidelined him for 11 months.

Burrows went from the high of winning the Coronation Cup, a first Group One success at Epsom in June, to despair in the space of a few hours, when Hukum was found to be lame after returning home.

A year-older full-brother to the brilliant Baaeed, Hukum picked up a hind leg injury which required three screws to be inserted and it seemed likely he would be retired to stud.

However, he has made a remarkable recovery and Burrows is keen not to take any unnecessary risks with Sheikha Hissa’s Shadwell-owned colt.

“Hopefully he can get back on the track,” said the handler. “He seemed to have improved again from the year before and then he got that injury. It was hugely disappointing, but it doesn’t do to dwell on things.

“It was a pretty straightforward injury. If he was a two- or three-year-old, then he would definitely have come back. There would have been no issue.

“But with him just winning a Group One, my automatic thought was that he would head off to stud.

“But Sheikha Hissa quite sportingly said that if there was a good chance of getting him back, then she’d be happy to give him a chance. Touch wood he’s had plenty of time and we have had a nice preparation with him.”

Though a winner of over £630,000 and successful in nine of his 15 starts, any plans to defend his Coronation Cup title on his first outing of the season were scratched.

Yet Burrows is well aware of the task Hukum faces on his return, which is a stepping stone to a potential run at Royal Ascot.

“We thought it was probably a bit strong to go straight back into a Group One, so this is going to definitely be a prep run.

“He needs to get out now. It is slightly concerning that we are drying up so quick, though.

“I wouldn’t risk him on proper fast ground. Sandown’s clerk of the course, Andrew Cooper, normally does a great job producing safe ground.

“I’ll get there sharp and I said to Richard Hills (Shadwell’s racing manager) this morning that we will have a walk of the track and all being well, if we are happy, then he will take his chance

“It’s pretty obvious the task we face, though. Desert Crown was a pretty impressive Derby and Dante winner last year. There doesn’t appear to be many chinks in his armour.

“He looks a relaxed horse who looks pretty solid, so it is a massive ask, but it is all about getting our fella on the track and getting a run into him.

“The Hardwicke would probably be the next plan, but I wouldn’t be risking him on fast ground through the summer, so the back-end races and an autumn campaign could be on the agenda.”

The Jockey Club has lodged an application to the High Court seeking an injunction to prohibit acts intended to disrupt the Derby Festival, which takes place at Epsom on June 2 and 3.

The Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs alongside many other high-profile tracks, says it has been forced to take action after activists from Animal Rising continued to make it “explicitly clear” that they intend to breach security at the Surrey racecourse to stage a disruptive protest.

Last month, the Grand National at Aintree was delayed a little over 10 minutes by protesters, with attempts to disrupt the Scottish National at Ayr the following weekend thwarted by police and security staff.

Officials now fear planned disruption at Epsom may endanger participants, racegoers and horses – although they have stated they do not dismiss the right to peaceful protest and have offered Animal Rising an area near the entrance of the racecourse specifically for this purpose on Derby day.

The injunction sought would prohibit individuals from entering onto the racetrack and carrying out other acts with the intention and/or effect of disrupting the races. Such acts include intentionally causing objects to enter the racetrack, entering the parade ring, entering and/or remaining on the horses’ route to the parade ring and to the racetrack without authorisation, and intentionally endangering any person at Epsom Downs Racecourse during the two-day Derby Festival.

If the injunction is granted, individuals acting in breach of the court order could be subject to proceedings for contempt of court, which may lead to a fine and/or imprisonment.

A High Court hearing, which will rule on whether to grant the injunction, has been scheduled to take place this Friday (May 26).

Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of the Jockey Club, said in a statement: “In planning for the Derby Festival our number one priority will always be to ensure that the safety of all our equine and human participants and the thousands of racegoers who join us at Epsom Downs is not compromised.

“We respect everyone’s right to peaceful and lawful protest and with that in mind have offered Animal Rising a space for this purpose directly outside the racecourse during the Derby Festival.

“However, Animal Rising have made it explicitly clear that they intend to breach security and access the track itself in an attempt to stop racing taking place and it is our duty and obligation to do everything we can to protect everyone’s safety and prevent a repeat of the illegal and reckless protests we saw at Aintree in April.

“As such the decision to apply for an injunction is a course of action we have been forced to take and is the result of careful consideration following consultation with Surrey Police and a number of stakeholders. If successful, this would be just one of a range of robust security measures we are implementing to ensure the event can go ahead safely.

“We are proud to stage the Derby Festival and hope that the thousands of people who look forward to attending over the two days and the millions more watching at home and around the world are able to enjoy what is not only an important event for the sport but an iconic moment in the British summer and a celebration of the Thoroughbred.”