Bookmakers were on Monday predicting that Rip Van Winkle could yet start a shorter price than stablemate Fame And Glory for the Investec Derby on June 6 after the Stanjames.com 2,000 Guineas fourth again proved popular in the betting for Epsom.
Coral cut Rip Van Winkle (Galileo) to 5-1 (from 11-2) for Europe's premier Classic after laying "several four figure bets" and they believe he could start as clear Derby favourite, ahead of Fame And Glory (Montjeu), and Sea The Stars (Cape Cross), who finished three places in front of him at Newmarket.
Spokesman Simon Clare said: "All we have been laying today is Rip Van Winkle to the exclusion of all the other Derby contenders, to the point where it would be a major shock if Johnny Murtagh does not choose to ride him in the big race.
"If Murtagh does, as punters expect, decide to ride Rip Van Winkle then he will definitely leapfrog Fame And Glory in the betting and he could well overtake Sea The Stars and start favourite for the Derby", added Clare.
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Ladbrokes pushed Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Fame And Glory out to 3-1 (from 11-4) and their spokesman David Williams also envisages he could soon be usurped in the market by his highly touted stablemate who Murtagh said over the weekend he has "a soft spot" for.
Spokesman David Williams said: "Fame And Glory continues to slide in the Derby betting as the Rip Van Winkle bandwagon gathers momentum. The prospect of the pair reversing places in the market is now very real."
Such is the strength of trainer Aidan O'Brien's hand in the race, he has nine of the 20 remaining, that William Hill go 5-1 about him saddling the first three home, and 100-1 about him mirroring the feat of Michael Dickinson in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup by saddling the first five.
