Beckett hoping he might just reach the ‘summit’ this weekend

Ralph Beckett won last season’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Bluestocking – but believes a victory for either Pride Of Arras or Stanhope Gardens in the Betfred Derby would represent the “summit”.

Beckett has only had four runners in the premier Classic, coming closest with Westover three years ago. However, he has won the Oaks twice, with Look Here and Talent.

His yard is now one of the biggest in the country and while he is well represented in all three Group Ones at Epsom this weekend, he is unequivocal when asked which race he would like to win above all others.

“I was asked by a member of the French press if the Arc was the race I’d wanted to win above all else and my response was ‘behind the Derby only’ and I stand by that,” said Beckett.

“I think if you are an Englishman and you train racehorses, the Derby is, and hopefully always will be, the summit. Few people get to do it and if it ever came off it will be more than I ever could have hoped for when I set off training, that’s for sure.”

Pride Of Arras won the Dante Stakes at York and remains unbeaten in two starts to date, with Beckett not too worried about a lack of experience.

“Inevitably it is a concern, but given how he went round York, I know it’s a flat track but everything else is a test, and how well balanced he is, it is not a primary concern – but I could be wrong!” said Beckett on a media call organised by the Jockey Club.

“I’m not going into it with that as a concern, but we’ll find out on Saturday.”

Stanhope Gardens has not had a traditional preparation, as though he pushed Derby favourite Delacroix close in the Autumn Stakes, this season the only suitable race Beckett could find was over a mile in a conditions race at Salisbury.

He said: “The two have had very different preps. If I’d had a conventional prep with Stanhope Gardens I’d hope they’d be a bit closer in the betting.

“Bookmakers are rarely wrong, so I think it’s likely they’ll finish in that order, but I never thought Talent would finish in front of Secret Gesture in the Oaks in 2013.

“If Ruling Court and Delacroix both stay we’ll all have to go a bit, but it’s a question of whether they both will.

“It’s the same every year with people saying ‘I think he’ll stay’, but we never know until they try. I think that’s the biggest single factor, whether those at the head of the market get home.”

In recent years the Derby has been dominated by Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore. But Beckett thinks the loss of super-sire Galileo may bring about a change to the race’s complexion.

“It’s not daunting taking on Coolmore and Godolphin. Whatever happens it’s great to be there with two of the front seven in the betting,” he said.

“The sport relies on horses coming out of anywhere and Coolmore’s domination of the Derby hasn’t necessarily done the race any favours in the wider sense.

“We all applaud what Aidan and Coolmore achieve, but the fact Galileo and Montjeu aren’t here might just change the dynamic of the race and that has got to be great for the sport.”

At the draw on Wednesday, however, Beckett was done no favours by former champion jockey Willie Carson when he drew stall 16 for Pride Of Arras and two for Stanhope Gardens, from which no Derby winners have so far emerged.

Beckett said: “I can’t worry about it because I can’t do anything about it. Westover was drawn in two and there’d been no winners out of there and my heart sank when I read that.

“I wasn’t aware there’d been no winners out of 16. The Great Gatsby was second from 16 a while back (2003). That would concern me less than two.”