CASPIAN Prince has to defy the welter burden of 10st if he is to win the Investec ‘Dash’ Handicap for a fourth time - all for different trainers – at Epsom today.

Mick Appleby is the handler with the task of emulating Tony Carroll (in 2014), Dean Ivory (2016) and Tony Coyle (2017), who supervised those three triumphs.

Caspian Prince was only 10th when representing the Rutland trainer last year – but he is expecting a better effort after the 10-year-old blew away the cobwebs in the Temple Stakes won by the brilliant Battaash at Haydock on his first start since the Nunthorpe in August.

“Caspian Prince has come out of his last run well and hopefully he has decent chance,” said Appleby. “That was the plan, to get one run into him, but we had to go to Haydock as there was nothing else really for him.

“He seems to be in good order and he likes the track. He only just gets the five furlongs and because they are running down hill he is right at home there.

David Griffiths feels Duke Of Firenze is at the “top of his game” as his 10-year-old bids to win the Dash for a second time.

His confidence is at a high thanks to victories at Thirsk and York on the last two Saturdays, although it is six years since he won this cavalry charge over the flying five when in the care of Sir Michael Stoute.

“I was delighted with him at York. The Thirsk race gave him a lot of confidence and he did it well at York,” said the Bawtry handler. “He’s come out of York really well, better than he did from Thirsk.

Griffiths is also optimistic of a good run from Ornate, despite being drawn wide in stall two.

Denis Hogan was relieved Hathiq made the cut after a convincing win at the Curragh last weekend and was even happier when he was handed a stands-side draw in stall 18.

“I’m delighted he’s got in. He needed five to come out earlier in the week, so it was nice to find out he’d made the cut,” said the County Tipperary handler.

“He’s in super form and they tell me the stands side is where you want to be, so he looks very well drawn in stall 18.

“When we bought him for £3,000 in January we didn’t dream he’d be favourite for the Dash at Epsom on Derby day. It just shows what you can do if you have a bit of luck,” said Hogan.

“It’s great to be going over there with a horse with a real chance and I’m delighted to have Rory (Cleary) riding him.

“Myself and Rory go back a long way - we both went to Mick Halford’s as apprentices.”