Once-raced as a two-year-old, finishing fourth, this dark horse could be the ace in Sussex trainer John Dunlop's pack this season.

That's according to a book of top flat horses to follow which reckons Olden Times could prove a live prospect for the Derby.

The Darshaan colt is one of three of the Arundel trainer's string highlighted in Mark Howard's Ahead On The Flat which aims to pinpoint animals yet to reach their full potential.

Olden Times together with the filly Head In The Clouds feature in his top 50 prospects while Watchkeeper is named as a maiden to follow.

Pulborough trainer Amanda Perrett's Stay Behind is also one of Howard's top 50. This one is expected to land a top class handicap this season.

Dunlop also discusses 45 of his horses in a Talking Trainers section of Ahead On The Flat and lists 35 of his two-year-olds worth keeping an eye on.

Last year Howard's selections produced 110 winners, including some big-priced ones such as Dunlop's Abuzaid (8-1) along with Perrett's Give The Slip (8-1) and Tillerman (10-1).

This season he suggests that Olden Times could be the Dunlop stable's No.1 hope for the Derby, a race the trainer came agonisingly close to winning last year with Sakhee.

Olden Times finished fourth on his York debut after running into traffic problems and, according to Howard, is an intriguing prospect.

Head In The Clouds is a full sister to Dunlop's St Leger winner of last year Millenary. Two runs as a two-year-old yielded a fifth place and a third and she is quickly expected to lose her maiden tag this season.

Indeed, Howard believes she will be high in the pecking order of Dunlop's strong team of three-year-old fillies.

Another Dunlop maiden is the once-raced Watchkeeper. She is expected to make a decent staying filly and "a maiden should be there for the taking before Watchkeeper goes on to better things".

Howard's fourth Sussex horse Stay Behind finished an "eyecatching" third on her only race at Kempton and the form of the race is "rock solid". He expects the filly to follow a similar campaign to the stable's Ebor winner of last season Give The Slip.