Aidan O'Brien can show that he still has the Midas Touch

Real class: Midas Touch impresses when winning at Leopardstown last month and can give trainer Aidan O'Brien his first win in the Derby in eight years
Simon Milham13 April 2012

Aidan O'Brien's eight-year wait for another Investec Derby triumph looks set to come to an end tomorrow at Epsom.

But it is the stable's second string MIDAS TOUCH (4.00pm) who is strongly fancied to upset hot favourite and stablemate Jan Vermeer.

With the Ballydoyle yard's injured ante-post favourite St Nicholas Abbey ruled out on Tuesday, a torrent of money has seen Jan Vermeer take over at the head of the betting market for the 1m4f Classic.

The son of Montjeu won the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on soft ground last season but only emerged as a serious Derby contender following a facile victory in the Gallinule Stakes at Leopardstown just 12 days ago.

He has impeccable credentials and stable jockey Johnny Murtagh, who seeks his fourth win in the race, said: "I'm very confident and I was delighted with his first run of the year. He went through the race very easily, stretched away and won well."

Yet the preparation does not look ideal. In fact, it appears rushed and he was very much an afterthought in the Irish stable's plans.

Paddy Power offer 11-10 that O'Brien will train the winner tomorrow and despite the fact the stable has seen 34 horses beaten in the Epsom Classic since High Chaparral won in 2002, that looks fair value.

Murtagh picked Midas Touch over Jan Vermeer in France last season and was proved wrong. Although Midas Touch, a son of the stable's 2001 Derby winner Galileo, was beaten twice by Jan Vermeer last term — over a mile on his debut and over 10 furlongs on unsuitably soft ground in France — the way he won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on his seasonal debut means there is a great chance that the tables will be turned.

Slowly away in a four-runner affair, he was given plenty to do by Murtagh but picked up well when asked and showed a great attitude to go past Address Unknown.

Midas Touch broke the track record which had stood for 20 years and it must not be forgotten that that victory came at a time when the stable's runners had all looked in need of their first run of the season.

Fast ground, which is anticipated, will play to his strengths and he has bags of stamina in his pedigree.

At around 6-1, he looks certain to finish in the frame and the statistics reflect it, for only one of the last nine winners of that race to head to Epsom has finished outside of the first four.

So jockey Colm O'Donoghue has a seriously good chance of landing the big race on Midas Touch.

Trainer Sir Michael Stoute is a little concerned that inexperience will scupper the bid of York's Dante Stakes runner-up Workforce.

No horse that has been beaten in the Dante has gone on to win the Derby and with just two runs under his belt, Stoute admitted: "He's a bit short on experience. He only had one race at two — a maiden — and then the Dante which was unsatisfactory really.

"At Epsom they have to be sharp mentally, they have to go for the openings when they are available but the good thing is there are only 12 runners and not 24. That's a help.

"He has sharpened up from his Dante race as one would expect and we are running him because we feel he is entitled to go there.

"He has a chance, although I couldn't say I'm confident because he lacks that additional race I would have liked him to have had."

While he should stay the trip, fast ground might also be a problem for Workforce.

Bullet Train just lost out to Myplacelater in a Newbury conditions stakes before enjoying the longer trip in the Lingfield Derby Trial. While he may have enjoyed the run of the race, he won easily and he deserves to take his chance in the Classic.

Henry Cecil, who seeks a fifth Derby victory, said: "He's tough and will handle the track. He's improving the whole time. I've seen the other trials. You have four or five horses that you can respect but nothing stands out a mile, so he's entitled to take his chance. He could run very well."

Rewilding produced a good turn of foot to land the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood, where he beat Prizefighting by four lengths, and should have no trouble with the track of the trip.

Frankie Dettori's mount is sure to contract in the betting but this race could be coming too soon for the Godolphin inmate, so despite playing a weakened hand, put your faith in Aidan O'Brien — the man with the Midas Touch.

HOW THEY WILL FINISH: 1. Midas Touch, 2. Bullet Train, 3. Jan Vermeer

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