Perhaps the best thing about Tajaaweed, a last-gasp winner of the Addleshaw Goddard Dee Stakes yesterday, is that he comes with the blessing of Kieren Fallon. The banned former champion has been riding the big bay in his work at Sir Michael Stoute's stable and is a huge fan of Sheikh Hamdan's horse.

“Kieren just loves him,” Angus Gold, the sheikh's racing manager, related. “The horse will have learnt a hell of a lot from this and there is plenty of improvement to come. It's a question of whether he can improve enough between now and the Derby, but I'm sure Sheikh Hamdan will want to run if Sir Michael and his team are happy to.”

And why not? The son of Dynaformer advanced from an unpromising position to cut down Unnefer with steely determination. A break of five lengths back to Ballydoyle's Achill Island, who finished third, added flesh to the bones. The dexterity with which Tajaaweed handled Chester's twists and turns was a bonus.

Richard Hills, who did not intend to be among the early backmarkers, was taken with Tajaaweed's attitude. “I didn't want to gun him up there and get him unbalanced,” the jockey said, “and it worked out well. I always felt I would get there and would be happy to ride him at Epsom.”

A second trial winner for Stoute in as many days, Tajaaweed earned a 20-1 Derby quote from William Hill. The sole blemish within his three-race record saw him founder in the Racing Post Trophy, but Gold believes that group one prize came too soon in the formative process.

The Ballydoyle camp, which gained compensation when Macarthur skipped away with the Blue Square Ormonde Stakes, seemed happy enough with Achill Island. Yet with more than half the trials complete, no genuine Derby contender has emerged from the powerful stable.

There remains time for that, although Godolphin's batallions are dwindling after the tame effort of Alexandros yesterday. Campanologist, a recent import from Mark Johnston's stable, contests today's trial at Lingfield, in which Luca Cumani, who trains Derby second favourite Curtain Call, will assess the ground before confirming his colt's participation.

Meanwhile, the British Horseracing Authority's disciplinary panel has heard all the evidence in its inquiry into whether Timmy Murphy and Emma Lavelle breached the non-triers' rule when Regal Quote ran at Sandown on February 22. The panel's verdict is expected early next week.