John Gosden© Photo Healy Racing
John Gosden's exciting Frankel colt Cracksman puts his reputation on the line in the Investec Derby Trial at Epsom on Wednesday.
Owned, like Gosden's Derby and Arc hero Golden Horn, by Anthony Oppenheimer, Cracksman won a back-end Newmarket maiden in fine style on his only appearance to date.
A Derby entrant at the second stage, he is bidding to give Gosden a third successive win in the race after Christophermarlowe and So Mi Dar.
"Cracksman is going there for the experience as he is still quite babyish," said Gosden.
"We very quickly worked out that it might well have all happened before he got to the bushes in the Guineas.
"We put him in at the second stage as he was not put in as a yearling. He will certainly get a mile and a half.
"His temperament is bombproof, he is asleep all the time. Some of them (Frankels) are quite exuberant and he is the other way round.
"He is a lovely horse, don't get me wrong, but he is slow to get there mentally. He will come.
"Racing at Epsom, you soon learn a lot mentally."
Gosden also runs Tartini, a Giant's Causeway colt who also won his only start to date at Nottingham.
"He would appreciate a massive thunderstorm," said the Clarehaven handler.
"I think he will be a much better horse with cut in the ground and I think he will stay a mile and a half plus.
"Face The Facts (won at Newbury last week) is a St Leger horse and I think this horse is a St Leger horse."
David Simcock runs Ahlan Bil Zain, a winner at Newcastle on his second outing.
"Ahlan Bil Zain has trained fine. He is rated 83 after winning his maiden, so we are going with an open mind," said Simcock.
"We are probably throwing him in a bit at the deep end because it looks like we could be coming up against a couple of potential Derby favourites.
"I think the trip will be OK, although his pedigree suggests he might be more of a miler."
Charlie Appleby lowers the sights of Bay Of Poets, while fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor runs Nottingham scorer Youmkin.
Mark Johnston's Permian is another to consider.
