Soft ground at Epsom will hold no fear for Duke Of Firenze who can land the Investec “Dash” Handicap (3.45, Saturday) for the second time in his career.

Following 21mm of rain on Tuesday ahead of Derby weekend, conditions eased to soft and with further showers forecast Thursday into Friday, so conditions look set to be fairly testing.

Duke Of Firenze won the Dash way back in 2013 but consistently runs well in this race, having finished third in the past two renewals.

Now a nine-year-old, the son of Pivotal won a class two handicap at York off 103 last year and shaped as if still retaining his old ability when fourth to runaway winner Kachy at Chester three weeks ago.

Things didn’t work out back at York last week but he’s been eased 3lb for that run to 104 and this could be the time to catch David Griffiths’ sprinter, with Oisin Murphy up for the first time since partnering the horse to a fine fourth in October’s Prix de l’Abbaye won by sprint king Battaash. At 16-1 he makes plenty of each-way appeal.

The Investec Derby (4.30) itself revolves around hot favourite Saxon Warrior, set to be the first Derby horse sent off at odds-on since Camelot won the Classic in 2012.

The son of Deep Impact will take all the beating, but the one who looks slightly overpriced at 14-1 (888Sport) is Dermot Weld’s Hazapour.

Three runs as a two-year-old warranted just one win in a decent Galway maiden, but top trainer Weld endured a torrid time of it last year, his horses simply not firing.

The yard are in much better shape now and Hazapour landed the Derrinstown Derby Trial in good fashion on his reappearance, with fourth-placed Platinum Warrior subsequently boosting the form at The Curragh last weekend.

Frankie Dettori’s booking draws the eye – his first ride for the Aga Khan in over 15 years – and rain-softened ground is no issue. He could prove the biggest danger to Saxon Warrior.

Friday’s feature race – the Investec Oaks – is an underwhelming affair with Lah Ti Dar, Magical and Sea Of Class all scratched within the past week, so I’ll focus on the preceding Investec Wealth and Investment Handicap (3.45) where Brorocco looks really interesting.

Andrew Balding’s five-year-old needs a strong pace to aim at and he got just that when winning twice last year, once at Epsom over this distance and at Newbury in a highly-competitive Dubai Duty Free Handicap off 89.

Up 4lb he ran a blinder to finish fifth in the Cambridgeshire and looked in need of the run on his reappearance at Newmarket. He seems to love the quirky nature of Epsom and was desperately unlucky when a beaten favourite in this race 12 months ago, twice badly hampered inside the final two furlongs.

Ajman King sets a good standard a 5lb rise may underestimate the favourite, but if David Probert can avoid a troubled passage from the rear, Brorocco has a right chance here and rates a solid bet at 10-1.

Finally, in the Investec Zebra Handicap (5.50), Juanito Chico can get back to winning ways for William Jarvis.

The classy four-year-old won this race 12 months ago, despite meeting traffic in-running but won with plenty in hand off a mark of 80.

He runs here off 10lb higher but should still prove capable off that mark and the gelding’s neck second to Abdeybb at Ascot back in July now reads particularly well, that rival now rated 117.

Adam Kirby is a great booking and he should go close.