Motivator and Murtagh cut for derby success

The news that Jonny Murtagh will be free to ride favourite Motivator in Saturday's Vodafone Derby at Epsom has not gone unnoticed by the bookmakers with the Michael Bell-trained horse cut to 9/4 (3.25) from 5/2 (3.50) for the Blue Riband event of the flat racing season.

Murtagh was originally suspended for three days for careless riding, which would have ruled him out of Derby day. Darryll Holland was standing by, but the ban was cut to two days and connections will be happy that Murtagh is in the saddle. Murtagh was on board Motivator when he secured an impressive win in the Dante Stakes at York - traditionally a pointer to Derby day - and the colt remains unbeaten going into Saturday's big race.

Reports that all is not well with Goldolphin's Dubawi - the son of Dubai Millennium - has seen him pushed out from 4/1 (5.00) to 5/1 (6.00). Gypsy King shades second favouritism at 4/1 (5.00), from 6/1 (7.00). Oratorio has also been shortened to 13/2 (7.50) from 7/1 (8.00), while The Geezer is 10/1 (11.00), Fracas and Grand Central are both 12/1 (13.00) chances, the same price as Walk in the Park, which has been the subject of a few hefty bets.

Motivator's 230 owners, from the Royal Ascot Racing Club, include Simon Cowell and Ken Bates, but, if recent years are anything to go by, they are up against it. Since the turn of the century, owner John Magnier, whose horses are trained with Aidan O'Brien, and trainer Sir Michael Stoute have won the race twice apiece, while the Aga Khan's Sindar was the only one to break the monopoly.

Motivator has won three races from three starts, but there are concerns over his ability on fast ground, which could well be what he will get at Epsom, if weather forecasts prove to be correct. Each of his three wins have been on soft ground.

Dubawi, who could provide Frankie Dettori with his first Derby triumph, has shown plenty of speed and did impress at the Curragh last time out, but there are doubts about his ability to stay the mile and a half, while Gypsy King's Chester form has been upheld well since. Of the outsiders, Unfurled, a winner at Goodwood, is a generous 25/1 (26.00).

A couple of useful statistics for you. Four of the past five winners have been priced up at 5/1 or shorter, with Kris Kin, who won the race in 2003, the only exception at 14-1. And in the past four years, Aidan O'Brien and Michael Stoute horses have filled seven of the 12 places.