Dilshaan, winner of the Dante Stakes on Knavesmire last month, can topple his stablemate Golan and 10 other rivals in tomorrow's £1m Vodafone Derby.

Success for the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt would enable Johnny Murtagh, triumphant 12 months ago on Sinndar, to become the first jockey since Willie Carson in 1979-80 to gain back-to-back wins in Britain's premier Classic.

With Stoute's stable-jockey Kieren Fallon forced to miss the race through suspension, Murtagh has been recruited to partner Dilshaan.

Pat Eddery, a three-times Derby winning rider, gets the leg-up on Golan, who will be attempting to become the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to pull-off the 2,000 Guineas-Derby double.

The Dante has proved a lively launch-pad for Derby winners in the last 15 years. Shahrastani in 1986, Reference Point in '87, Erhaab in '94 and Benny The Dip in 1997 all followed-up their York triumphs by adding their names to Epsom's exclusive roll of honour.

Dilshaan had to fight hard in last month's race, but his determined victory over Celtic Silence and Storming Home stamped him as a horse with a big heart, who digs deep under pressure.

With an extra furlong and a half to travel tomorrow, he should be in his absolute element.

Work-watchers at Newmarket have reportedly been mightily impressed with Dilshaan's preparations for Epsom, but Golan has apparently turned-in a couple of laboured efforts recently.

Even allowing for the fact that he's a laid-back horse he has failed to impress all who have seen him on the gallops.

It was not, however, difficult to be impressed with his Guineas victory, coming from last to first to scythe down a useful field in the style of a top-notch performer.

Although he has never raced beyond a mile, Golan is bred to stay further and breeding experts seem unanimous in concluding that whatever beats him tomorrow it won't be stamina. It might, however, he his stable-companion.

Galileo, like Golan, has yet to taste defeat. Trained in Tipperary by the brilliant Aidan O'Brien, who totally dominated the first two Irish Classics, Mick Kinane's mount won a Derby trial at Leopardstown last month, the corresponding race, incidentally, which Sinndar captured last year en route to Epsom.

Clearly a very useful horse, with the scope to be even better, Galileo, now challenging the slightly uneasy Golan for favouritism, should be thereabouts at the finish.

Remarkably, in a race which has attracted only 12 runners - the smallest field since 1989 - Barry Hills saddles a third of the line-up.

Perfect Sunday, impressive winner of both his races this season, including the Lingfield Derby Trial, would appear to be the best of his quartet, with Richard Hughes in the saddle.

Micheal Hills, Barry's jockey-son, has opted to partner Storming Home, who is held by Dilshaan on Dante form.

Richard Hills, Michael's brother, rides Mr Combustible, the Chester Vase winner, while Richard Quinn has come in for the mount on Sandown Trial winner Chancellor.

Putra Sandhurst, runner-up to Perfect Sunday at Lingfield, hardly looks good enough, and nor does Frankie Dettori's mount Tobougg, a cracking juvenile last year, but a big disappointment in the 2,000 Guineas and unlikely to relish this step up to a mile and a half.

Tomorrow's tips:

Epsom

2.00 - Vintage Premium

2.30 - Bella Chica

3.05 - Nicobar

3.50 - Dilshaan

4.35 - Vita Spericolata

5.10 - Father Juninho

5.45 - Boanerges

Haydock

1.50 - Villa Carlotta

2.20 - Summerhill Parkes(Nap)

2.50 - Mount Abu

3.20 - Lupine

4.15 - Nomore Mr Niceguy

4.50 - Anticipate

Doncaster

1.35 - Pipadash

2.05 - Summoner

2.35 - Kaiapoi

3.05 - Tornado Prince

3.35 - Dupont

4.20 - Trace Clip

Updated: 15:41 Friday, June 08, 2001