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Ebanoran will attempt to improve John Oxx's already formidable record in the Investec Derby when he runs in the Epsom Classic today.

Oxx has notched two victories from just three runners in the race, with Sinndar and Sea The Stars collecting and Alamshar finishing third before winning the Irish Derby and the King George, which suggests the trainer only brings colts of the highest order.

Ebanoran, a son of Oasis Dream, showed his appreciation for the step up to a mile and a quarter when passing the post in front in the Derrinstown Derby Trial, only to lose the race in the stewards' room to fellow Epsom contender Fascinating Rock.

"Everything has been going fine. He's a little bit like his mother (Ebadiyla) at home, he doesn't burn up the gallops, he does what he has to do and no more, but he seems in great shape and we're happy with the way everything has gone," said Oxx.

"Nobody knows until 4pm on Derby day what they've got. All the trials, you learn a little bit, but there's a lot you don't learn and everything becomes crystal clear on the day.

"He's got to improve. He's on 113 so he's got to improve 7lb to be in the money. We're hoping he has, he's improved enormously from race to race to date, taking a big stride forward each time, but he has to do it again to be in the money.

"We don't have any real worries about the ground until he proves otherwise. He won his maiden on good and one of his other two races was on heavy and one on soft and that didn't stop him. His mother won the Irish Oaks on real good ground and the Prix Royal-Oak on heavy, so he gets his ability to handle that from her and he seems adaptable there.

"When he wandered around in the Derrinstown it was not that he became unbalanced, it was just greenness. And there were some mitigating circumstances. There was a photographer standing at the top of a step ladder near the line and we think he swerved away from that.

"The longer trip is a new test and Epsom is a very demanding track. You cannot be certain but he has so much stamina on the dam's side of his pedigree that there must be a good chance he will stay the extra distance."

It seems a long time since John Gosden tasted Derby glory with Benny The Dip in 1997 and he fields the only unbeaten runner in the race, Western Hymn.

"He is a young horse and has only had three races. The first was at the back-end of last year at Kempton Park. People decry all-weather racing but when the ground has gone in the autumn and you want to get a two-year-old out, there is no better place than Kempton or Lingfield on Polytrack," said Gosden.

"Whether they win or not, they get a nice race and come home in one piece rather than having the guts pulled out of them on heavy ground in November. He did that and won well. Then he ran a nice race first time out this year at Newbury.

"He had to slog a bit in heavy ground at Sandown when winning the Classic Trial, but won well. Having had those two races, I did not want to have a hard race at York in the Dante, so we missed that and instead took him to work at Lingfield. I was very pleased with his work there - he did a mile in one minute and 37.2 seconds.

"Western Hymn has a lot of ability and I am very pleased with the way he has trained this year. He is a very solid and legitimate horse to run in the race."

Among the outsiders is the William Haggas-trained Our Channel, who won the Classic Trial at Epsom over 10 furlongs.

"He looks great and he's ready to go. He seems very, very well, which is all we can ask. He obviously has a bit to do, but he won his trial at the track, the owner is keen to give it a go and he deserves his place in the field," said Haggas, who won the race with Shaamit in 1996.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Our Channel's owner Abdulla Al Mansoori, said: "We know he handles the track - there's no problem there - and we are hoping he gets the trip. If we finish in the money, we will be absolutely delighted. I can't see him beating the front two favourites, but the fact he handles the track is a huge positive.

"I was second on 150-1 shot Blue Judge and there were a few good ones behind me. It's possible in the Derby because horses who act on the track have a huge advantage. You might think a horse will act but, until you try, you never know."

Andrew Balding is represented by Impulsive Moment, and said: "He stays well and I think you are going to need to. I thought he ran really well at Sandown (behind Western Hymn) on what was only his third ever run. There's only one Derby so we'll have a go."

Red Galileo is a first Derby ride for rising star Oisin Murphy, although trainer Ed Dunlop knows he is up against it.

He told his website: "We entered Red Galileo for this race in the winter. This is a very sporting venture by his owner Mr Arculli and his sportsmanship shows by booking up-and-coming star apprentice Oisin Murphy to ride this horse. Let's hope he can give his connections a great run."