 Kevin Manning won last year on the Irish-trained New Approach
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The Epsom Derby will almost certainly be won by an Irish-trained horse, says William Haggas, an English trainer who won the race back in 1996.
Newmarket-based Haggas, whose sole success came with Shaamit, will saddle Dee Stakes winner South Easter in the mile-and-a-half Classic on 6 June.
He said: "If all the English trainers are realistic, we have very little chance of beating the Irish.
"But you need a ticket to enter the lottery. South Easter won't be last."
Victory for an Irish-trained runner at Epsom would be the country's fifth in 10 years. Aidan O'Brien has nine of the 20 remaining entries for the Investec-sponsored race on 6 June, and Ireland has 14 in all.
British stables are responsible for the other six entries, and extra names can be supplemented at the five-day stage on 1 June at a cost of £75,000.
O'Brien is expected to start with around six chances, but stable jockey Johnny Murtagh has yet to decide on his mount.
"Everything we have left in are possibles. They all came through their trials well and deserve to have their chance," said O'Brien.
"If the ground is safe, we'd love to have plenty of runners. Obviously the Derby is a very important race and we are very lucky to have such a nice few horses this year.
"Johnny will ride them in their next couple of pieces of work and try to make up his own mind there.
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606: DEBATE
DERBYJESTER
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"Everybody knows he has a soft spot for Rip Van Winkle, Fame and Glory won well at Leopardstown, Age Of Aquarius won at Lingfield and should come forward, the two who ran at York [Black Bear Island and Freemantle] should come forward and the two at Chester [Golden Sword and Masterofthehorse] should come forward.
"The next few days will tell us a lot more."
The John Oxx-trained Sea the Stars, the 2,000 Guineas winner, is another Irish-based contender who has been a hot property in the ante-post betting market.
But if he fails to win and O'Brien's chances are beaten then Gan Amhras - again trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger - could well be first past the post.
That would make it two Epsom Classic winners in succession for Bolger, who said of Gan Amhras: "I am very happy with him and everything has gone well since the Guineas [where he came third].
"You have to go there and see what happens but I don't anticipate having any problems with the track. I wouldn't want the ground soft, but he wouldn't mind a bit of give in it."
Latest Derby betting: 7-2 Fame and Glory; 4-1 Sea the Stars 6-1 Rip Van Winkle; 8-1 Black Bear Island; 9-1 Gan Amhras; 16-1 bar.
(Best odds generally available at 1500 BST on 28 May, source oddschecker.com)
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