Aidan O'Brien is responsible for half the field in Saturday's (Sunday AEST) Epsom Derby, but the two-time winning trainer is downplaying any chance of sweeping the top three places."That's really fantasy land - this is the Derby we are talking about and we are just very privileged to have the horses we have," O'Brien said."The reality is that the Derby is a tough race, it is very demanding. A horse has to stay, handle undulations at speed, and have courage."O'Brien's two strongest candidates are

Aidan O'Brien is responsible for half the field in Saturday's (Sunday AEST) Epsom Derby, but the two-time winning trainer is downplaying any chance of sweeping the top three places.

"That's really fantasy land - this is the Derby we are talking about and we are just very privileged to have the horses we have," O'Brien said.

"The reality is that the Derby is a tough race, it is very demanding. A horse has to stay, handle undulations at speed, and have courage."

O'Brien's two strongest candidates are unbeaten Fame And Glory and the Johnny Murtagh-ridden Rip Van Winkle. Both were 5-1 with British bookmaker Ladbrokes behind the favourite Sea The Stars, the 15-4 shot trained by John Oxx.

"You need a horse with good balance, a horse with a bit of speed and I think Rip Van Winkle has everything a Derby horse needs," Murtagh said.

"There is a little doubt about whether he will get the trip but it's a nice doubt as you need to have that little bit of speed to travel round Epsom. I think he'll handle the track, cruise round and hopefully it will carry him to the last furlong."

O'Brien's other prospects are Black Bear Island, Masterofthehorse, Age of Aquarius and Golden Sword.

Murtagh had the choice of six runners for O'Brien in the Derby, but opted for Rip Van Winkle.

"Aidan's prepared him for the Derby and his preparation has gone very well," Murtagh said. "He's going well at home, he's a horse I've always liked and is very high-class.

Murtagh enjoyed the first of his three Derby triumphs in 2000 on board Sinndar, who also provided Oxx's first triumph in the Classic.

"Sea The Stars certainly has the look of a champion and is already a Guineas winner," Oxx said.

"Whether he can win the Derby as well as the Guineas is a tough call - it hasn't been done now for 20-odd years, and Nijinsky 20 years before that. It's a hard thing to do, but it's worth pursuing. He'd be a great champion if he could do it."

Despite a 30-year career as a trainer, Oxx has only fielded two runners in the Derby. But he produced a winner from his first try with Sinndar before Alamshar finished a close third to Kris Kin in 2002.

"For tradition there is no race like it," Oxx said. "The unique demands of the track mean you will not win it unless you have speed and stamina.

"The beginning of June is quite early in the year for a horse to be mature enough to stay the distance. It is a demanding place and that is why Derby winners have been so successful over the last 200 years. You won't win with a slow horse."