THIS Saturday is Derby day, and at the minute the outcome looks as clear as mud.

Leading Irish trainer Aiden O’Brien looks to hold the key to the race, and at the minute O’Brien could run as many as six in the prestigious event.

Stable jockey Johnny Murtagh will ride all the colts in their final piece of serious work tomorrow morning before he will decide which one to ride at Epsom.

Before then there is plenty of local action for us to watch in the sunshine, starting off with Thirsk this evening.

The six race card gets underway at 6.10pm with a seller over the six furlong trip. The Buck Inn Thornton Watlass maiden at 7.10pm looks to be a golden opportunity for Splendorinthegrass, who travels up from Rodger Charlton’s Marlborough base.

Tonight will be the first run of the season for the three-year-old, who will be ridden by Steve Drowne who was also on board when he ran in Group Three company, when last seen in action last October.

The most competitive race of the evening is the seven furlong handicap due of at 7.40pm. A field of 12 line up, and plenty of inform horses, including Victoria Sponge from Richard Hannon’s yard.

A good second on her last run at Newmarket, the three year-old is fancied to go one better tonight from a good draw.

Ripon race tomorrow afternoon and also on Wednesday evening, it is scheduled to begin at 2.30pm and 6.40pm respectively.

Jumping fans haven’t been left out either as Sedgefield race tomorrow evening. Action gets under way at 6.35pm at the Durham track.

Also Wetherby bring down the curtain on their season next Thursday night. For the second year in a row Wetherby will be carrying some remedial work, as the racecourse continues to try and improve the new track which has failed to fully recover since being realigned when the A1 was widened in 2007.

Chief executive Jonjo Sanderson is hopeful progress can be made between now and October when racing resumes. He said: “The track has undoubtedly improved compared to last year.”

Hopefully it will keep going the correct way, as it should be one of the best racecourses in the country.