Alarming drift on Derby fav City Of Troy as bookies report cash for rivals

LONG-TIME Derby favourite City Of Troy looks set to be replaced at the head of the market – as the wounded superstar loses supporters everywhere and drifts alarmingly in the market.

City Of Troy suffered a disastrous 2000 Guineas after being sent off the red-hot 4-6 fav on the back of glowing reports from trainer Aidan O’Brien and a sensational two-year-old campaign.

The Ballydoyle handler has since admitted he treated the colt ‘like too much of a God’ in the run-up as he crashed out at Newmarket.

With doubts building over just how much these Justify colts train on at three and the horse’s confidence no doubt shattered by his no show, punters are looking elsewhere in the Derby market.

And Coral are predicting City Of Troy, who has spent months at the head of the market, will be replaced if money keeps coming in for two key rivals.

One of them is Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles, who’s unbeaten in three, was a Group 1 winner last season and looks tailor made for the 1m4f Derby trip.

Described by his trainer as ‘lazy’, Los Angeles was last seen holding off Euphoric to win a Group 3 over 1m2f at Leopardstown earlier this month.

The other is Charlie Appleby’s Dante runner-up Ancient Wisdom.

Last year’s Futurity winner was pumped six lengths by Economics at York but William Haggas will not run his stable star at Epsom.

Ancient Wisdom might have been the second string of Godolphin had Hidden Law not suffered a fatal injury seconds after winning the Chester Vase.

But he deserves his place near the top of the betting and is now into as short as 4-1.

Los Angeles has been cut into 7-2 with City Of Troy drifting alarmingly out to 11-4.

Bookies Coral joked City Of Troy is ‘under siege’ as Derby favourite – but there’s no denying he could find himself completely friendless before Saturday’s race.

Coral’s David Stevens said: “City Of Troy was as short as 7-4 for the Derby last week, but in recent days Ancient Wisdom, who was 11-1, and Los Angeles, 6-1 at the weekend, have been the pair attracting the most support.

“The money has come to such a point where either could now end up replacing City Of Troy as big race favourite come Saturday.”

Betfred Derby odds via Coral

11-4 City Of Troy
4-1 Los Angeles
5-1 Ambiente Friendly, Ancient Wisdom
11-1 Dancing Gemini
12-1 Macduff
16-1 Bellum Justum
20-1 Voyage,
25-1 Deira Mile
33-1 Bar

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