AT 3.35 tomorrow comes the day of no excuses for the proposed 'incredible horse', best we’ve ever had, Ballydoyle colt City Of Troy.

The Knavesmire at York has seen some superb performance in this race, headed by Sea The Stars, Frankel and Baaeed.

There are no excuses tomorrow, on racecourse, on ground, on opposition. The long straight leaves no room for excuses, even in a surprisingly large field.

Even though it is an 13 deep field, only the filly Bluestocking is a European Group 1 winner, and only against her own sex. Japanese runner Durezza won his country’s Group 1 Leger over a mile and seven.

If you are a three-year-old colt lucky enough to reside in Ballydoyle, you have one requirement above all – win a classic. And modern breeding trends aside, the preferred classic is still the Derby.

So for the 2023 Champion three-year-old to have accomplished that, and then to add a win in the Eclipse Stakes, over two furlongs shorter against the older horses, it could be job done, career ambition achieved.

Hype over the colt

But such has been the hype over this colt since he won 13 months ago at Newmarket, that that there is still something to prove.

The group of owners were out in force at Sandown, leading you to believe a big performance was on the cards. But that wavering length win, looking hard work on softened ground, and getting the 10lb weight for age allowance from Al Riffa, was an B plus rather than an A star. And Aidan O’Brien and John Magnier seemed to confirm that. The going maybe a legitimate excuse and Al Riffa won since but… we expected more.

The going and distance should be perfect so it is surprising to see him at a shade of odds against.

In the recent decades this race has been the conformation of top class for Sea The Stars, Frankel, Australia, Ghaiyyath and Baaeed.

But it was originally called the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup and the inaugural running created a template for shocks, won by Roberto, that year's Derby winner. The second-placed horse was Brigadier Gerard – his only defeat in a career of 18 races.

The winner of one of the great races in the 1970s King George, the Derby winner Grundy was only a tired fourth behind Dahlia at York. More recently in 1989, the three-year Cacoethes went off at 2/5 but was beaten by Ile De Chypre at 16/1. Then in 1991 Terimon at 16/1 had odds-on favourite Stagecraft 5/6 and Steve Cauthen back in third.

And the 2015 Derby winner Golden Horn, following the same path via the Eclipse as City Of Troy, was also beaten at 4/9 by 50/1 shot Arabian Queen.

And last year Paddington’s Group 1 winning streak came to an end when only third at 4/6. This race has a history of shocks.

For no consistent reason, the race has not been kind to short-priced favourites.

If City Of Troy underperforms again, who will take advantage? Rated 124, closest to him in ratings are Maljoom and Zarakem on 119,but both at double figure odds.

Two sons of Gleneagles, himself a late non-runner in this race in 2015, are priced as the biggest dangers.

City Of Troy beat Ambiente Friendly by two and three-quarter lengths in the Derby, stretching clear, and the second didn’t appear to stay the mile and a half as well as Los Angeles in the Irish Derby. Putting up a good time figure in winning the Lingfield Derby Trial, he was travelling as well as the O’Brien colt two out in the Derby.

It’s hard to get a handle on the Derby from, the fourth to seventh haven’t really boosted the form since, though the fourth Diera Mile runs earlier in the Voltigeur.

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Two Group 3 wins on soft going bought the French gelding Calandagan to Royal Ascot for the King Edward VII Stakes where, on good to firm, he produced an impressive turn of foot to beat Space Legend by six lengths. That second and the third Royal Supremacy were well beaten since by the Derby 8th Ancient Wisdom in a Group 3 at Newmarket.

Bluestocking is the only Group 1 winner and performed with credit in the King George. The only problem is she has had two hard races on her last two runs, the last over the longest distance she has raced. In the past 20 years, only Mishriff and Ulysses have won this having run in the King George.

Ghostwriter, from the Arabian Queen connections, has two lengths to make up on City Of Troy from Sandown.

Such is the nature of the race, and while the City Of Troy hype ensures he will be a short price it has to be worth taking him on

It’s been five years since a three-year-old won but this distance should suit Ambiente Friendly better than the Irish Derby. Given the race’s history, at 15/2, he is worth taking a chance on against the favourite.