John Dunlop has scored ten winners and five places during the first month of the flat race season.

The Arundel trainer's flying start is worth just under £100,000 and provided a £16.33 profit for punters to a level stake of £1.

He is hoping his four separate yards at Castle Stables can produce classic prospects this summer.

With around 150 horses in training and owners such as Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, Sussex stud owners Philippa and Nicholas Cooper, Earl Cadogan, Prince Faisal and Kirsten Rausing on his books, it would be a shock if there were not several promising horses.

Let The Lion Roar, a winner at Newbury last week, looks the most likely of Dunlop's stable to run the Derby.

Dunlop said: "The colt is a half-brother to the 2000 St Leger winner, Millenary, who is still in training with us.

"He won over one-and-a-quarter miles at Newbury, but needs to run at a longer distance.

"His immediate target is either the Chester Vase the week after next or the Lingfield Trial and, if he proves himself good enough, the Derby must be a possibility."

The first two classics are the 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1 and 2 and Dunlop's expected runners are Iqtesaab and Hathrah. Both are owned by Sheikh Hamdan, who has several classic contenders with other trainers.

In the end, it will be the owner's decision which horses either represent him at Newmarket or are switched to the French classics a fortnight later.

Hathrah, in particular, may be at her best over a longer trip than the eight furlongs at the Guineas and she would not be out of place in the field for the Vodafone Oaks early in June.

Millenary, now a seven-year-old, will be seen out in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot next week. On the same programme, Prince Tum Tum, who has not run since injuring himself 12 months ago, may make his debut as a four-year-old.

Dunlop's favourite jockey, Pat Eddery, retired at the end of last season, so this year the trainer is going for the best available.

He said: "Mick Kinane rode for us at Newbury and we shall use him when he is in England.

"Richard Quinn is no longer tied to Henry Cecil at Newmarket, so he is an early choice."

Kevin Darley is another top jockey who has ridden winners for the stable and he will be involved again.

With Dunlop's long-standing head travelling lad Robert Hamilton now working for the Jockey Club Veterinary Unit, Gary Hatfield has taken over the responsibility for looking after the travel arrangements of the stable's horses.

Hatfield is backed up by Simon Humphries and Perry Docwra.

One secret of Dunlop's success and consistently high strike rate is meticulous organisation and planning plus his willingness to delegate responsibility.

Robert Alcock has been on the staff as assistant trainer for many years and he was joined 12 months ago by Dunlop's younger son Harry.

Head senior lad Eddie Watt has been at Castle Stables longer than the trainer.

Dunlop said: "We are very lucky with staff. There is a low turnover rate and some lads have been with me for years."