Epsom Derby 2022: Changingoftheguard Profile

Aidan O'Brien's Changingoftheguard was a fine winner of the Chester Vase and will now look to use that success as a springboard to Epsom Derby glory on Saturday 4th June...

Changingoftheguard

Sire: Galileo

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Runs: 5

Wins: 2

Notable Race Wins: Chester Vase

Winless as a juvenile, Changingoftheguard incidentally locked horns with stablemate and current leading Derby fancy Stone Age in a Leopardstown maiden back in July 2021 on his debut, and it was Stone Age that came out on top in their mini-clash - finishing one-and-three-quarter lengths in front of his Ballydoyle rival.

Fourth that day, Changingoftheguard went on to finish fifth in another Leopardstown maiden, while he ended his two-year-old campaign with a second placed finish behind River Thames in a Punchestown maiden in September.

However, it's been his three-year-old campaign that has seen him become a leading fancy for The Derby for Aidan O'Brien, as he kicked off this season with a facile six-length victory in a Dundalk maiden on April 1. That success came over 1m 2f and he was duly stepped up in trip for his next outing when sent to Chester's May meeting.

Sent off the 100/30 second favourite behind red-hot jolly New London, the son of Galileo relished the step up to 1m 4f 63y by trouncing his market rival that day by six-and-a-half lengths, and he had obviously improved once again for the step up in trip, so the one-mile-and-a-half for The Derby should play to his strengths.

He will face a stiffer task at Epsom on June 4, as he will not only have to reverse the two-year-old form with Stone Age, but will have a whole host of notable adversaries including the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Desert Crown, but Changingoftheguard is bred to be a notable Derby contender, and while some contenders could struggle at the trip, he will be one that will get every yard of the event, and he has to be considered.

He made all during that romp in the Chester Vase - a race Ruler Of The World won before going on to claim Derby glory back in 2013 - and he could well be prominently ridden for this year's Epsom Classic, and he has to be regarded as one of the main fancies for the Ballydoyle team, who could unleash multiple contenders in this year's wide open contest.