Lambourn handler laidback as he bids to pull off shock Epsom Derby triumph

Lambourn’s Ed Walker admits he has no grand plans for celebrating his 40th birthday later this month – but he’s hopeful Waipiro can land him an early present when he lines up in the Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday.

Walker, who celebrates turning 40 on June 9, suffered disappointment in the 2020 renewal when English King set off as favourite but finished fifth in the world’s most famous Flat race.

The laidback Lambourn handler, who hailed the race as “the most important on the calendar”, admits he got caught up in the “hype” three years ago but now cuts a far more relaxed figure ahead of Waipiro’s attempt to emulate his father, Australia, who won the Derby in 2014.

“We’ve been so lucky to have English King run in the race in 2020,” Walker told The Jockey Club’s Graham Clark.

“The Classics are really what motivate me and I’m lucky to have a live contender.

“A lot of people in this country and others try to breed, own and train horses for the Derby, which in my opinion is the race that is the most important on the calendar and has the biggest impact on the thoroughbred breed.

“I’m feeling more relaxed about it this year than I was with English King.

“The hype gets you very over-excited and I went with English King from thinking ‘wow, we have got a chance of winning the Derby’ to believing my own, and everyone else’s, hype and I thought they might as well give us the trophy now.

“You can get carried away and then you get a mess of a race like it was and it was massively deflating.

“We are just hoping we get Waipiro in as good shape as we can and that he runs a true, honest race and that Tom (Marquand) gives him a good ride, which no doubt he will.

“The rest is out of our hands and if he is good enough or not we will only discover on the day.”

Having produced somewhat of a shock when springing a 25-1 surprise on his return to action at Newmarket in April, it was Waipiro’s effort when second to Military Order in the Listed Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial that thrust him into being a Classic contender.

And although the three-year-old has work to do to turn the form figures around with Military Order, who is Betfred’s 7-2 joint-favourite, Walker feels that it is far from an impossible task.

He said: “He didn’t show a lot on his debut at Kempton Park but we left him in the Derby for a reason.

“It wasn’t a total surprise that he won at Newmarket but it was obviously very pleasing.

“The result was very rewarding and he stepped up again at Lingfield.

“We are going to have to make another significant step up to beat him (Military Order) but I don’t think it is impossible for him to turn it around.

“I think he will handle the track and the occasion.”