Authorized all the rage for Derby
The colt is already a shade of odds-on after being among 19 horses left in the premier Classic at the confirmation stage.
The impressive winner of the Dante Stakes is 4-5 with Ladbrokes, whose spokesman David Williams said: “It was a matter of time before Frankie’s mount went odds-on as we couldn’t take any more cash at even-money.
“The recent rain has only helped to make Authorized more popular with punters and the vast majority of bets we’re taking on the race are on just one horse.”
Authorized has been hot property since he romped home by four lengths at York.
Aidan O’Brien, successful with Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002), still has eight in the race – Acapulco, Admiralofthefleet, Anton Chekhov, Archipenko, Eagle Mountain, Mahler, Soldier Of Fortune and Yellowstone.
His one withdrawal is Chinese Whisper, while Saeed bin Suroor may rely on Eastern Anthem after Godolphin withdrew Jalil and Mythical Kid.
There were no supplementary entries after John Gosden decided against adding Dante runner-up Raincoat to the field, but the Newmarket trainer could still be represented by Lucarno.
Marcus Tregoning, successful 12 months ago with Sir Percy, relies on Aqaleem, who will attempt to be the first Lingfield Derby Trial winner to go on to glory at Epsom since High-Rise in 1998.
And Tregoning believes the rain-softened ground will not be an inconvenience.
“The soft ground is unlikely to be a problem for him as he is out of a Sadler’s Wells mare,” he said.
“Bear in mind he did beat the favourite as a two-year-old. I know it was very early in their careers but it is slightly encouraging he was able to do that.
“He ran a very solid race at Lingfield. He seems to be in very good form so we are pretty hopeful of a huge run from him,” he said.
