Market Rasen Summer Plate 2025

I usually take an interest in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen but before looking at this year's renewal, I have good news and bad news to impart. 

Back in early January I received a phone call from a gentlemen's outfitters in Warwick informing me the clobber I'd ordered for my daughter's wedding was available for collection. 

Now, I was just about to set off to collect the clobber in question when my wife, as is her wont, presented me with a list of sundry errands that, coincidentally, needed to be run in Warwick; having completed no more than half of them as best I could, I thought a small treat was in order so I ordered a small americano (cold milk / regular blend / stay in / contactless) in a coffee house situated a stone's throw away from the clobber shop.

I'd barely taken my seat when a frail old lady struggled onto the premises and a kindly gent sat at an adjacent table, offering her his seat, approached and asked if he could join me at my table. No problem at all.

We quickly struck up a conversation and I quickly deduced this gent followed Flat form rather closely. 

His son, the landlord of a public house in nearby Kenilworth, was part of a syndicate that owned a share in a horse called Lazy Griff. The beast had respectable two-year-old form and syndicate members were spending the winter months dreaming their horse might just be good enough to contest a Derby - either at Epsom or The Curragh. At that time Lazy Griff was quoted 100/1 for Epsom and 66/1 for the Irish Derby.

Four months later Lazy Griff made his seasonal debut, running a very respectable second to Lambourn in the Chester Vase, sent off  a 25/1 shot. 

After that race handler Charlie Johnston told reporters his charge had recently met with a setback and was only 80% ready - improvement was to be expected, Epsom was the target, and any rain in the week leading up to the race would help his cause.

Propitiously, there was plenty of rain around in Derby week this year, and, on top of that, connections had managed to secure the services of Christophe Soumillon. Stall three looked a bit of negative but Betfred were offering 100/1 (four places) about Lazy Griff. I placed a small each-way wager with Betfred on Thursday evening and on Friday another at SP with Sky who were paying five places; Lazy Griff eventually went off a 50/1 shot.

The good news, of course, is that Lazy Griff ran a bit of a stormer. 

He raced in fourth for much of the trip; as they came round Tattenham Corner, I could barely believe my eyes - Soumillon was looking behind for dangers that weren't there, while it transpired the real danger was long-time leader Lambourn. Jock Soumillon pressed the button and set about reeling in the leader and, just for a fraction of a second, I thought he might get close. In the event he didn't, but he still finished second, three and threequarters lengths behind Lambourn.   

The bad news is that, given my egregious tipping performance in this particular race over a period of some fifty years, I didn't have the prescience to share the tip with you, dear reader. 

That's racing, as they say. 

Fifteen have been declared for tomorrow's Summer Plate (3.12); the going at the Lincolnshire track is currently described as good but thundery showers are forecast and the track reports conditions are likely to ease during racing.

Top weight Hang In There takes his chance and concedes ten pounds to nearest rival Horantzau d'Airy; as a result Mr Saxobeat, Doyouknowwhatimean, Ceanndana and the mare Shakeyatailfeather all compete from out of the handicap.  

Last year Sure Touch (137) touched off Soul Icon to collect the spoils, with Statuario (135) third, beaten five lengths; Riskintheground (127) fifth, beaten ten and threequarters lengths; and Vintage Fizz (130) sixth, beaten sixteen and a quarter lengths.

Sure Touch, for much of the week favourite to repeat the trick tomorrow off a mark one pound lower than last year (136), has been easy to back today, while there has been money for Irish raiders Ballysax Hank and Ceanndana. 

Olly Murphy's charge hasn't won in six starts since last year's win - and some might say he hasn't shown much noteworthy form either. 

He jumped poorly behind Docpickedme in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster in January and last time came home just under 20 lengths behind Riskintheground (Vintage Fizz third) in a handicap chase at Ayr. 

No doubt Olly Murphy will have freshened him up for this and cheekpieces are fitted for the first time but his price is short enough.

Harry Cobden bids for a hat-trick in the race having ridden Born Famous to win in 2023 and Sure Touch last year. This year he's aboard the Gavin Cromwell trained Ballysax Hank; the booking looks significant and it has caught the attention of bookmakers and punters alike.

With just three chase starts to his name (U15), six-year-old Ballysax Hank makes his handicap debut and is the runner with the least experience of larger obstacles in this field. Five six-year-olds have previously come home in front: Stately Home (1997); Chicuelo (2002); Iron Man (2007); Really Super (2020); and Born Famous (2023).

Ceanndana carries five pounds more than his long handicap weight but has been well supported today, with Jordan Gainford travelling over for this sole ride. Ross O'Sullivan's charge ran well behind Arctic Fly over a shorter trip at Tipperary 18 days ago (nearest finish) but wouldn't appreciate too much rain.

The Bowen yard always targets this race - and has won it on eight previous occasions: Stately Home (1997); Ballycassidy (2003); Yes Sir (2006); Iron Man (2007); Snoopy Loopy (2008); More Buck's (2018); and Francky Du Berlais (2021 & 2022). 

In the betting course and distance winner Courtland is preferred to Statuario. 

Courtland finished third behind Charlie Uberalles at Cartmel three weeks ago - that was his first outing since April 2024. Having previously won off 142, he looks feasibly handicapped on 133 - and Shane Fenelon can claim five pounds - but there's the danger he could 'bounce' on his second run after such a long layoff.

Stablemate Statuario beat Hang In There in the Perth Gold Cup six weeks ago and has been raised two pounds to a mark of 130 - still five pounds lower than last year when beaten five lengths. All five chase wins to date have come at Perth.

In the past fortnight the yard has sent out five winners from 11 runners (45%). Both declarations in tomorrow's renewal are ten years of age; in the last 25 years only three winners have been older than nine - Glinger (11; 2004); Snoopy Loopy (10; 2008) and I Have Dreamed (10; 2012).  

After beating Vintage Fizz and Sure Touch at Ayr in April, Riskintheground beat Bhaloo and Hang In There at Cheltenham five days later; on 139 he's now 12 pounds higher than when fifth in last year's renewal - and the Skelton yard has been relatively quiet of late.

Bhaloo looked out of sorts when sent off  2/1 favourite for the Clarke Chase at Uttoxeter eight weeks ago, trailing in sixth behind Matterhorn (Horantzau d'Airy second at 50/1, Vintage Fizz fourth).

Bhaloo sports first time cheekpieces tomorrow while Horantzau d'Airy has his first run for trainer Sara Bradstock, having previously been trained by W.P. Mullins for Mrs S. Ricci - 2024 form included placed efforts behind Ashdale Bob, Flooring Porter and Real Steel in the Munster National at Limerick - and, more recently, by Newmarket handler Michael Keady.    

The Flier Begley has also gone up 12 pounds in the handicap after winning the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Series Final at Haydock in April and then the Associated British Ports Summer Plate Trial over course and distance four weeks ago. 

For much of that trial race Vintage Fizz, who can lug left at the fences on occasions, looked the likely winner but after taking up the running two out, he was run out of it after the last, eventually beaten a neck  - to my mind The Flier Begley just wanted it that little bit more.

Three of Charlie Uberalles' six chase wins have come at Cartmel - after his latest win at the Cumbrian track three weeks ago handler Dianne Sayer said:

"I reckon he is a stone better here than anywhere else. He had his own way in front which he enjoys."

His defeat of Docpickedme at Doncaster in December reads well and the trip will suit but he goes off a career high mark of 137 tomorrow.

Although Doyouknowwhatimean races from out of the handicap, Harry Atkins' seven pounds claim more than offsets the penalty. Last time Dan Skelton's charge was outpaced from four out behind former stablemate Third Time Lucki at Uttoxeter over two miles; all his wins to date have come around the two mile mark.

A competitive renewal, as always. 

Horantzau d'Airy looks intriguing on his first start for Sara Bradstock but at a slightly bigger price I'm going to take an each-way interest in flying veteran The Flier Begley who has been in good form recently and shouldn't be inconvenienced by any rain.

The Flier Begley is the each-way suggestion, at the time of writing 14/1 with bet365, Betfred and Paddy Power, all of whom pay four places.

Epsom Derby 2014

I usually indulge myself by taking a small interest in the Epsom Derby although my record in the race is thoroughly abysmal.

Tomorrow's renewal is a one horse affair according to layers who bet 7/1 the field bar favourite and form choice Australia, priced up at 6/4. Ruler Of The World was the biggest priced winner in the past decade when returned at odds of 7/1 last year.

The going is reported to be drying out but rain is forecast; I've used the Dante form to try and identify some each-way value. At York The Grey Gatsby beat Arod and True Story and was then turned out 17 days later to take the Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

True Story looked held when hampered a furlong from home in the Dante; several commentators felt he didn't give his true running that day and can reverse placings with second Arod who was staying on at the end. Fallon is bullish enough about True Story's chance in the Weekender while Aron's pilot Jamie Spencer would probably prefer the rain to stay away.

This evening BetVictor bet 18/1 Arod and 12/1 True Story; I'll support True Story each-way should any rain get into the ground, otherwise I'll chance Arod (each-way) - on Timeform ratings True Story is second and Aron fourth best of the sixteen runners in the field.

2012 Derby Day deliberations

For some reason or other Queen Elizabeth II has been in the news a bit recently.

Tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of her coronation and to mark the occasion Epsom have named the Coronation Cup (2.40) the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup. Of course, the feature is the Derby with just nine set to face the starter (4.00). Most observers think Camelot is something of a shoo-in with the result Aidan O'Brien's colt will start odds-on and will probably be sent off one of the shortest-priced favourites since the war - the shortest priced winner of the race was Ladas who took the 1894 renewal at odds of 2/9.

If you're not convinced Camelot is the stuff of legend, you may want to look to Andrew Balding's Bonfire to start the fireworks. Those watching the BBC's final coverage of the event would also be well-advised to prepare themselves for some loud shrieks in commentary from Andrew's sister, Clare, if Bonfire has the merest hint of a chance in the final furlong. At 5/1 the colt offers value against the favourite but his temperament could be considered slightly suspect - if I were betting this one, I'd want to be absolutely sure he'd handled the preliminaries before parting with the stake money.

Main Sequence is unbeaten but this represents a set up in class and I may be star-gazing but Astrology could act as pacemaker for his stablemate. Mickdaam looked anything but an easy ride when winning the Dee Stakes at Chester but should confirm form with Balding's second string Minimise Risk.

Hayley Turner becomes only the second female ever to ride in the race - Alex Greaves finished last on Portugese Lil in 1996. Hayley's mount, Cavaleiro, is probably overpriced at 66/1 but still has plenty to find.

During the week money has come for Thought Worthy (now 16/1) - this one beat Rugged Cross a neck and three quarters of a length in the listed Fairway Stakes at Newmarket last month. Thought Worthy is worthy place material but for the more adventurous Rugged Cross (50/1)  is put up as the each-way wager given that Newmarket effort was on his seasonal debut and there could be improvement to come.

Her Majesty's Carlton House, third in last year's Derby, added to royal celebrations with an assured victory at Sandown yesterday evening and Harvest Song tries to repeat the trick for the owner in tonight's 6.40 at Stratford.

I admit I've haven't been paying attention but I feel as though I've sleep-walked into this weekend and have just been given a slap across the face with a wet fish.Those looking to avoid the pomp and circumstance integral in any royal celebration may want to consider this alternative NH itinerary over the next few days...

Friday evening: Stratford - first race 5.40;
Saturday: Watch the Derby on the big screen at Stratford - evening's racing commences at 6.00;
Sunday: Head north to Uttoxeter - first race 2.10;
Monday: Back south to Towcester - first race 2.20;
Tuesday: Head west to Ffos Las - first race 2.30.

Other suggested itineraries welcomed.

After the Derby

French-trained colt Pour Moi took an enthralling renewal of the Derby. 19-year-old Mickael Barzalona, riding in the race for the first time, brought his mount from last to first to beat 25/1 chance Treasure Beach a head with the Queen's Carlton House threequarters of a length adrift in third. There were a few raised eyebrows immediately afterwards as Barzalona stood bolt upright in his irons to salute the victory before he'd actually passed the winning post. Connections of Carlton House were left to rue their luck but to this observer the better horse won on the day. The victory doesn't appear to have impressed official handicapper Phil Smith who has tentatively given Pour Moi a rating of 122, the lowest rating since Sir Percy won in 2006. On several occasions through the afternoon the BBC's coverage of the royal angle verged on the ridiculous while the Court of Appeal ruled that Kieren Fallon could not ride in the race, a decision the jockey likened to 'being knocked out in the first round at Wimbledon.'

Those disappointed Carlton House didn't oblige for the Queen may want to bid for a painting of Her Majesty instead. Sir Alfred James Munnings' A Study for HM The Queen and Aureole will be sold at Christie's on June 15th; the auctioneers place a £60,000-£80,000 price tag on the piece...

Whatever you think of Fred Done, you can't argue with the man's sense of timing. The day after it was announced Betfred's bid for the Tote had been successful, he appeared on the Morning Line and offered to refund all losing singles on the Derby (up to a maximum of £500) if the Queen's Carlton House won. A nice stunt, and in the event it didn't cost him a penny.

I wasn't paying full attention but I sensed Clare Balding nearly had another Liam Treadwell moment when she informed viewers before Friday's Oaks that one particular jockey, an Everton fan, had a tattoo on his back that had been unfortunately misspelt (reading Eeverton instead of Everton). Who was that jockey?

Finally, for those interested, Royal Ascot is a little over a week away; the Weekender / Raceform Update Royal Ascot Ultimate Guide 2011 went on sale Friday 3rd June.

Derby Day 2011

The jockeys have been making the news today... There were two stand-out rides at Epsom earlier, from Ryan Moore aboard Saint Nicholas Abbey in the Coronation Cup and from Johnny Murtagh who pinched the Oaks from the front on Dancing Rain. Frankie Dettori found himself in trouble with the stewards after the Oaks, having been found guilty of dropping his hands and losing third place; he has been hit with a ten day ban. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Kieren Fallon will be able to ride in tomorrow's Derby after the owner of Native Khan took out a High Court injunction to prevent the jockey from riding Aidan O'Brien's Recital; the judge initially ruled he would not prevent Fallon from riding but the decision has been taken to appeal - the result is due at 0900 Saturday morning.

My Derby record makes grim reading with just two wins (Authorized 2007 and Workforce 2010) in forty years of trying. Generally the market has proved a good guide to the race with Sinndar (7/1) being the biggest priced winner in recent years. Using that benchmark, the victor will come from a list that comprises Carlton House, Recital, Pour Moi and Seville. I can't have the Queen's colt, Carlton House. His victory in the Dante was over three seconds slower than Midday's time in the Middleton Stakes half an hour earlier; he isn't guaranteed to stay; he doesn't represent value while his problems in the build-up have been well-documented. Fallon originally committed to ride Native Khan but has jumped ship; the jock has written a bullish piece in the Weekender about Recital's chance but at this point we don't know if he'll be on board. Seville finished second behind Carlton House in the muddling Dante and on breeding looks the more likely to stay the trip. Pour Moi has been well backed in recent weeks but French traned horses don't have a great record in the race.

Native Khan catches my eye, although obviously Fallon's view is respected. Ed Dunlop's grey isn't guaranteed to stay but he appeared to finish the 2000 Guineas strongly. Timeform rates the principals as follows: Carlton House 136p; Native Khan 134p; Seville 133p; Recital 133; Pour Moi 129p. At 12/1 with Coral I'll chance Native Khan staying the distance and have an each-way wager. For the dreamers amongst you, one that will stay and looks overpriced at 100/1 is Pisco Sour, although the luck of the draw (stall one) hasn't been kind to Hughie Morrison and his colt.

Should Carlton House win for Her Majesty, she will become the first royal to win the Derby since King Edward VII took the race with Minoru in 1909. Should Carlton House disappoint but Sohraab win the preceding Epsom Dash, I'd imagine Her Majesty would not be particularly amused; Kate Middleton's parents own a share of Sohraab...

Up at Newcastle's evening meeting, several runners in the two mile handicap (7.30) have form over the sticks. Orsippus is one that stands out, despite top weight, having finished third in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham in March. Off a mark of 137 he disappointed in the Swinton Hurdle but he starts this Grade 6 handicap off 62. He would be of interest if priced around 5/1 (as he is in tonight's tissue). In the past Westlin' Winds has tended to show better form with cut underfoot; this is his third run for Brian Ellison, having moved north from Charles Egerton's yard a couple of months back. Brian Ellison's 21% strike rate in the past fortnight means an improvement on those first two runs wouldn't be a complete surprise.  

Digestives

A good weekend for the Coolmore operation with Aidan O'Brien's son Jospeh claiming his first Classic winner aboard Roderic O'Connor in yesterday's Irish 2000 Guineas while earlier this afternoon Misty For Me took the Irish 1000 Guineas. This evening William Hill is best-priced about both horses for Epsom - Roderic O'Connor is quoted at 20/1 for the Derby and Misty For Me 10/1 for the Oaks.

There was plenty of media hype surrounding Hungarian sprinter Overdose, aka the Budapest Bullet, and his attempt on Haydock's Temple Stakes. In the event the Bullet proved to be a blank, trailling home a disappointing seventh. After the race pilot Andreas Suborics indicated the horse may appreciate more give underfoot following his recent training problems.

Plenty think Carlton House is something of a shoo-in for the Derby. Generally the market has proved a very good guide to the race (no winner priced bigger than 7/1 in the past decade) and the right vibes have been coming out of the stable. Nevertheless, three reasons to be wary...This year's Dante was a muddling affair with the time (2m 13.49) over three seconds slower than the Middleton Stakes (2m 10.05) run half an hour earlier; the colt isn't guaranteed to stay; the current price offers little in the way of value.

Many years ago an acquaintance of mine described our sport as 'a game of regrets', pointing out that even when you've lucky enough to have backed a winner, you're somehow troubled by the fact you hadn't increased your stake money. Last week my particular regret was not to have chanced Moorlands Jack on his first try over hurdles at Uttoxeter. In a Weekender Stable Tour article last September handler Tim Vaughan was particularly sweet on the (then) unraced  five-year-old, commenting the bay gelding would be 'speedy enough to win first time out'. Two below par efforts in bumpers didn't look encouraging going into the Uttoxeter race but the trainer's faith wasn't misplaced as 20/1 chance Moorlands Jack won despite being less than fluent at a couple of his hurdles. I'll monitor progress with interest. Others worth a second look if appearing in the foreseeable future include recent Perth winner Lewlaur Supreme, David Pipe's bumper winners Swing Bowler and Barney Cool and Paul Webber's Monkey Milan who took a Towcester bumper - jock Denis O'Regan was reported keen not to use the whip on this rather green five-year-old.

Finally, where's the value? £50 million for Chelsea footballer Fernando Torres or £53 million for Waterstone's 300 High Street bookstores?          
 

Recent racing titbits

I don't know why but since the royal wedding matters royal continue to crop up. A couple of weeks ago the Daily Mail reported that the Queen had looked after Frankie Dettori's lost dachsund Scruby. Then at York last Thursday Midday won the Middleton Stakes while half an hour later the Queen's Carlton House won the Dante in some style. Her Majesty's colt, apparently gifted to her by Sheikh Mohammed, is now a short-priced favourite for the Epsom Derby on Saturday June 4th. All that has encouraged further royal foraging - Marcus Armytage in the Daily Telegraph pointed out that:

The Queen has never won the Derby - in 1953, the year of her Coronation, Aureole finished second to Pinza;

The last monarch to win the Derby was King Edward VII in 1909 with Minoru.

Professor Gerda Reith of Glasgow University has carried out research of a different kind and discovered that the use of Fixed Odds Betting Terminal (FOBTs) in betting shops can lead to problems. 'Betting machines are particularly risky because of the enormous speed at which they take gamblers' money.'

Today's students are likely to be familiar with the idea of running up big debts, so perhaps it's unsurprising to see the BHA trying to entice them into the world of racehorse ownership. Love The Races has leased Tim Vaughan's Tae Kwon Do to a select band of students until the end of June as part of a prize in a recently-held comeptition. Last time out the gelding ran better than his 14/1 market price would have suggested beforehand, finishing third in a handicap hurdle at Wincanton. I'd imagine connections will be keen to land a small race before the lease runs out. In a somewhat similar vein Bangor blog selection Wake Board won with his head in his chest on Saturday despite pulling hard through most of the race and a hiccup two form home; have current connections found the key to this enigmatic individual?

Finally, I leave you with the thought that you tend to come across a different type of woman in the jumping game. At the Punchestown Festival Ladies' Day recently Daybreak presenter Grainne Seoige turned up wearing steel toe-capped heels, no doubt of particular use when dealing with the unwanted attentions of over-amourous male punters keen to try their luck...

Thoroughbred locomotives

As any self-respecting trainspotter of a certain age will tell you, eight of the 22 Class 55 Deltic locomotives that provided the horsepower on British Railways' East Coast main line service during the 60s and 70s were named after racehorses; apparently this practice continued a tradition originally started at Finsbury Park by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The racehorse names chosen weren't those of platers that managed the odd win here and there in lowly Newton Abbot claimers - several were Derby winners. In time most of these railway workhorses were carted off to the knacker's yard but a couple of examples have been preserved and a number of nameplates survive.

Those nameplates appear to be worth a penny or two today, going by an article in the most recent edition of Railways Illustrated magazine (January 2011). Andrew Watts reports that at a recent auction in Hampshire, despite strong interest, Crepello (1954 Derby winner) failed to make its (rather ambitious?) reserve price of £24,000. The highest price obtained for any Deltic nameplate is £31,400 for The Duke of Wellington's Regiment in 2002; the most paid to date for a racehorse nameplate is £11,000 for Nimbus (1949 Derby winner) in 1998.

For the sake of completeness (and because, with the racing programme severely curtailed, I don't know what to do and desperately need to avoid Christmas shopping) here's a list of the eight racehorse Deltics:

9001 / 55001 St Paddy (1960 Derby winner)
9003 / 55003 Meld (1955 1000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger winner)
9007 / 55007 Pinza (1953 Derby winner)
9009 / 55009 Alycidon (1949 Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup winner)
9012 / 55012 Crepello (1954 Derby winner)
9015 / 55015 Tulyar (1952 Derby winner)
9018 / 55018 Ballymoss (1957 Irish Derby winner)
9020 / 55020 Nimbus (1949 Derby winner)

Let's hope racing resumes soon - otherwise I'm likely to end up going off the rails.

Quick comments

With Royal Ascot just around the corner, a few quick comments on a weekend when I intend to keep my powder dry for next week's big meeting.

Workforce was impressive taking the Derby seven lengths in a course record time. To my eyes the winner looked to have a hard enough race and afterwards Ryan Moore said he could have given his mount an easier time and still won. Connections reported the colt had only lost nine pounds in weight since Saturday which would appear to show he's taken this tough race remarkably well. I'd guess the Irish Derby may come a bit too soon and the King George would be the next target.

The crowds flocked to Epsom on a fabulous summer's day but both the bookmakers and the broadcasters told a different tale with the former reporting turnover down by up to 20% and the latter's viewing audience down by 33%. Coral has called for a debate to be started on moving the race to a Friday.

On the first day of the 2010 World Cup, the big racing story is that Denman owner Harry Findlay has been warned off for a period of six months after he was found guilty of laying Gullible Gordon, a horse he owns. Findlay has vowed to fight the ban but has said 'Win or lose the appeal, I will never own horses in Britain again.' Betfair, the exchange service Findlay used, said 'We do not believe the punishment to be proportionate or, for that matter, consistent with similar offences in the past.' Andy Roberts of Sky Sports asks the question 'Racing shoots itself in the foot again or a triumph for rule sticklers?' Looks like both to me.

To conclude, a couple of notes on Saturday's Hexham card. Donald McCain's Dorabelle missed a reasonable looking opportunity in the bumper at Market Rasen earlier today and goes instead for the opening mares' novices hurdle. Both her runs to date have been on decent ground so it remains to be seen how she'll handle the easier conditions here. McCain's runners are always worth a second look at Hexham - in addition the stable has a 20% win strike rate in the past fortnight. Connections must think she has a chance as it's a fair way up from Cheshire to Northumberland. One who has spent even more time in the horsebox is Red Jester. Trainer G A Ham has sent the nine year old gelding all the way from Axminster in Devon; he runs in the Lords Taverners Handicap Chase at 3.05 and is Liam Heard's sole ride at the meeting. The last time the bay ran here (May 2009) he finished a well-beaten seventh of twelve - this appears slightly less competitive. The likely favourite Stagecoach Pearl is from Sue Smith's yard which is out of sorts at the moment.

Epsom Derby 2010

For those who like to make up their own mind, my Twitter Guide to this year's Derby (compiled on the back of a fag packet late Monday afternoon) may be of some limited interest. For everyone else, there's this.

No more than twelve will go to post at 4.00pm on Saturday; at present the Coolmore and Godolphin entries combined make up half the field. Much of the talk in the build-up to this Classic has surrounded Coolmore's plans. St Nicholas Abbey has been a short-priced favourite through the winter months on the back of a scintillating victory in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster last year. In recent weeks however the vibes coming from the yard have been anything but positive and last week St Nicholas Abbey was usurped at the head of the market by stablemate Jan Vermeer. In due course, St Nicholas Abbey was declared a non-runner and perhaps more surprisingly another Coolmore inmate, Cape Blanco, winner of the Dante, was re-routed to France. The stable regularly declares multiple entries for this race; last year each of their six entries incurred a £140 fine for arriving late in the paddock so it will be interesting to see if there is a repeat performance this time. Johnny Murtagh rides the top-rated animal and market leader Jan Vermeer, Derrinstown winner Midas Touch will be partnered by Colm O'Donoghue while the other Coolmore inmate At First Sight is set to carry out the pacemaking duties.

Godolphin has spared no expense in supplementing two, Rewilding (winner of the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood - formerly the Predominate) and Buzzword (fourth in the French Guineas) at a cost of £150,000. Al Zir completes the line-up. Stable jockey Frankie Dettori is aboard Rewilding - the last horse to win the Goodwood race and then go on to take the Derby was Troy in 1979.

Perhaps there's more to come from Sir Michael Stoute's Workforce who looked awkward when finishing second in the Dante; it came to light afterwards that the bit had slipped through his mouth. Although no horse placed in the Dante has ever gone on to win the Derby, Workforce merits plenty of respect, as does Henry Cecil's Bullet Train who won the Lingfield Trial in fine style, although I don't like this one's low draw. John Gosden's Azmeel was visually impressive when taking the Dee Stakes at Chester and is likely to appreciate both the step up in trip and quicker ground but I'm not convinced that was Derby winning form.

In the last ten years Sinndar was the biggest priced winner of the race at 7/1, two joint favourites and two outright favourites have obliged, while three second favourites have collected the spoils. On each occasion the winner has come from the top four in the betting.

I'm going to oppose Jan Vermeer on grounds of value and because the form of the stable has been a concern this season - that latter comment also applies to Midas Touch but at around 6/1 the Galileo colt makes more appeal than the favourite.

I take Workforce to step up to the mark and win the spoils. Those looking for an each-way suggestion at a bigger price could do worse than consider Azmeel (12/1) while for those who simply just don't care, 66/1 about Buzzword looks big given the stable has stumped up the supplementary fee and stated that the colt's recent homework was their reason for letting him take his chance. He's not guaranteed to stay the trip but connections seem hopeful following his staying-on fourth at Longchamp...

Good luck to one and all!

A Twitter Guide to the 2010 Derby

Looking for a quick pointer to this year's Derby? Here's my Twitter Guide to the five day entries, all compiled within the imposed 140 character restriction.

Al Zir Ninth behind Makfi in Guineas, stable out of form. Godolphin has supplemented two trained by Al Zarooni
At First Sight Coolmore pacemaker - 150/1 in places
Azmeel Won the Dee Stakes with a decent turn of foot from an unpromising position; tough, looks certain to stay, place prospects
Bright Horizon Another Coolmore pacemaker - generally a 200/1 shot
Bullet Train Made all to take the Lingfied Trial in some style. Not originally considered Derby material by connections
Cape Blanco Galileo colt retained ubeaten record coming home three and a quarter lengths in front of Workforce in the Dante at York
Coordinated Cut Third in the Dante - no horse beaten in that race has gone on to win the Derby
Hot Propsect Third behind Bullet Train in the Lingfield Derby Trial
Jan Vermeer Coolmore inmate has shot to the head of the market following victory in the Gallinule. Murtagh still to announce his ride in the race
Midas Touch Won the Derrinstown Stud Trial; beaten three lengths by Jan Vermeer in maiden last September
St Nicholas Abbey Favourite through the winter after Racing Post Trophy victory. Sixth in Guineas, rumours abound, big drifter now, will Murtagh ride?
Ted Spread Won the Chester Vase with battling display; owned by the fabulously-named False Nose 'n Glasses Parternership
Workforce Looked awkward ride when second in Dante but connections reported bit had slipped. More to come - no horse placed in Dante has won Derby
Buzzword Fourth in French Guineas, surprise supplementary entry at cost of £75,000. Strong recent homework reason cited for entry
Rewilding Second Godolphin supplement. Won Cocked Hat at Goodwood - last horse to win that and Derby was Troy (1979). Will Dettori ride?

Sunday shorts

Less than two weeks to the Epsom Derby and I still don't have much of an idea what what I'm going to back. At this stage, on grounds of value alone, I have to oppose St Nicholas Abbey. Henry Cecil's Bullet Train put in a decent performance to take the Lingfield trial but immedaitely after that race connections seemed to indicate they didn't think their charge good enough for racing's Blue Riband. Since then there appears to have been a change of heart, although Bullet Train doesn't give much away on the gallops. At the moment 10/1 Bullet Train is of some interest but I'm keeping my ear to the ground.

Canford Cliffs won Saturday's Irish 2000 Guineas in some style -that's two top milers in Richard Hannon's yard - the aforementioned Canford Cliffs and, of course, Paco Boy.

These days a trip down the local bookies to place a bet can lead to something else... Not only are you likely to be relieved of all your cash, there's a chance you could end up with a serious injury. Recently there has been an armed raid on a Ladbrokes betting shop in Peterborough while on Wednesday a policeman was stabbed in a betting shop in Bracknell, Berkshire.

Being the wrong side of fifty, I take that little extra delight in seeing an old-timer do the business. This evening then congratulations go to Ollie Magern who, at the ripe old age of twelve, rolled back the years and made all to win the Perth Gold Cup with something to spare at odds of 14/1.

Finally a story in the current Private Eye caught my eye but I don't have the issue to hand. Apparently a punter placed £20 with Paddy Power on Gordon Brown being the Prime Minister after the election. With the outcome a hung parliament, the punter expected to collect but was informed initially by the company that with a hung parlaiment there was no Prime Minister in post. A further query to the firm raised even more constitutional questions - I promise I'll try and dig out the details...

Round-up

Channel 4's coverage of the St Leger at Doncaster highlighted the tradition where the town's first-born child on the day of the race is given life membership of the track when reaching the age of sixteen; this year's recipient was Thomas Peter Talbot who entered this world thirteen minutes after midnight on the day in question.

Now I admit I was dozing a little but I'm sure I heard Channel 4's Jim McGrath say something like this during commentary. 'It's a glorious day to be watching horses. Of the four-legged variety, several look [well with the sun on their backs]'. Now, was Jim McGrath trying to make a statement there about the existence of horses with more / less than four legs?

On an altogether more sombre note, following the recent tragic deaths of two apprentice jockeys, Jamie Kyne and Jan Wilson, Julian Muscat wrote an excellent piece in Tuesday's Times that highlighted the spartan existence of the racing apprentice.

If you're a jump jockey, the chances are you won't get a chance to ride in the Derby; that said, the next best thing has to be a ride in the Jump Jockeys' Derby Handicap. Sam Thomas won Thursday's renewal over Epsom's Derby course on the appropriately-named Epsom Salts, the horse carrying the burden of eleven stones and five pounds to victory!

Of some potential interest to some readers - former Southampton player Matt Le Tissier's admission in his recently published autobiography that he was part of a failed betting scam is likely to result in both the FA and the police asking further questions; in South Africa a pigeon has carried 4Gb of data to its destination faster than broadband; and if you want a big win at the races for a small stake, Kevin Knight's experience would suggest you're better off knowing nothing about racing whatsoever...

Finally my junk mail item of the week comes from Virgin Trains. I quote: 'Treat yourself like Royalty with First Class travel... Whether you are attending the unveiling of a stately home's new garden, your brother's birthday, or any other engagement, it's always nicer to have some special treatment on the way.' Attending the unveiling of a stately home's new garden? Where did that come from?

Derby Day dissections...

The media, desperately searching for a new superstar, had their wish granted when Sea The Stars became the first horse since Nashwan twenty years ago to win the 2000 Guineas and the Derby. Immediately after the race, commentator Jim McGrath gave a conservative estimate of the colt's value - £40 million.

Nijinsky was the last horse to complete the Triple Crown in 1970 but the St. Leger doesn't seem to feature in John Oxx's plans for his winner; the Irish Derby most certainly does.

Jockeys in this year's Derby all wore black armbands in memory of Vincent O'Brien who died on Monday, aged 92. There have been many tributes to a man whose training feats are unlikely to be surpassed. He was probably the greatest trainer of all time.

Aidan O'Brien's six runners in the Derby each incurred a fine of £140 for arriving late in the paddock - that was half the field! The race itself started seven minutes late. I've lost count of the number of times I've been racing, wanting to see a fancied horse in the paddock, and failing to do so as connections try to ensure their charge is mounted and on his way to post in the shortest time possible. I know the owners pay the bills, the stakes can be high and nobody wants to lose a race before the start, but this practice really isn't fair on the paying public - it certainly doesn't do the game any favours. You go racing to actually see the horses, yet it can seem interested parties are doing their bit to prevent that happening. Rant over.

I know we're in the middle of a recession and the weather wasn't really helping but, from the TV coverage, the atmosphere on course seemed flat. Hayley Turner has been employed as the 'Face of the Derby' - I didn't come across any of that pre-race publicity.

Freud On Course: The Racing Lives of Clement Freud was published on Friday, with excerpts appearing in some newspapers. River Captain, a 16/1 shot, won Epsom's first race on Derby Day, the Investec Sir Clement Freud Memorial Heitage Handicap run over ten furlongs.

While Sea The Stars was winning the Derby, England's 4-0 victory over Kazakhstan was being covered live on Setanta. That firm is currently experiencing financial difficulties after defaulting on a payment of £3 million to the Scottish Premier League. Should the worst come to pass, what will happen to the contracted coverage of England's football matches? I'm not certain if Racing UK's coverage is arranged through Setanta as well...

Finally Coventry University hosts the 2009 Play The Game conference next week. On Tuesday evening at 8.00pm in Coventy Cathedral there's a debate on match-fixing which is open to the general public. The panel includes Mark Davies, MD of Betfair, Declan Hill, author of The Fix, and Michael Franzese, a former New York mob boss and match-fixer. I'm going along but intend to be on my very best behaviour...

Epsom Derby 2009

For those who like to make up their own mind, there's my Twitter Guide to the Derby; for everyone else, there's this...

The biggest priced winner of the Epsom Derby in the last ten years was Sinndar in 2000 - he was sent off a 7/1 chance; generally the market proves a decent guide to this race. This year, five of the twelve runners are priced 8/1 or less; of those five, two are doubtful stayers - Sea The Stars and Rip Van Winkle. John Oxx, trainer of market leader Sea The Stars, is on record as saying he only gives his charge a '50-50 chance' of staying the trip. The horse looked impressive winning the 2000 Guineas from Delegator but the second that day has followed up since by running something of a stinker in the Irish Guineas. Aidan O'Brien saddles six of the twelve runners; the stable's number one jockey Johnny Murtagh has opted to ride Rip Van Winkle. Rip was fourth behind Sea The Stars at Newmarket but the yard was under something of a cloud at the time. After that race Johnny expressed doubts as to whether the horse would stay; Rip was quoted a 10/1 shot for this - I wrote a piece highlighting the value, provided you took the view the horse would stay. The value has gone now, primarily because Mr Murtagh is clearly sweet on the horse's chance; in my heart of hearts, I don't think he'll quite last home. Fame And Glory has had the classic preparation for this classic; he is unbeaten, won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and looks guaranteed to stay. Gan Amhras was third behind Sea The Stars at Newmarket but looks certain to appreciate the extra half mile; trainer Jim Bolger won this last year with New Approach and has said this horse has a similar chance. Of the top five, I find Black Bear Island the most difficult to assess; he looks certain to improve for his victory in the Dante.

This is a hot renewal; I have to go with a horse that will last home and I'm finding it difficult to separate Fame And Glory and Gan Amhras. There has been steady money for Gan Amhras during the week but 4/1 the unbeaten Fame And Glory looks good value - I take Fame And Glory to collect the spoils. For those looking for an each-way longshot, Mick Channon sold me Montaff's chance a week ago. Mick rates this horse on a par with Youmzain; the horse, by Montjeu, will need to handle the preliminaries but is 66/1 with Victor Chandler this evening. He had had an interrupted preparation when just beaten by Age Of Aquarius at Lingfield and looks open to improvement. The same comment applies to the winner that day too, but, although front-running probably didn't suit, he still looked a bit of a tricky ride and didn't appear to handle the turn that well. Having said all that, it took Johnny Murtagh an age to pull up Age Of Aquarius after the finishing line...

Good luck to one and all!

A Twitter Guide to the Epsom Derby 2009

Following one quarter of an hour of exhaustive research, here is my Twitter Guide to this year's Derby, the third in an occasional series; I should point out that previous titles, A Twitter Guide to the Grand National Entries and A Twitter Guide to the 2000 Guineas, haven't proved particularly popular. Comments are given below on the five day entries for this year's Derby, all published within Twitter's imposed restriction of 140 characters.

Age Of Aquarius Positive sign when battling to win Lingfield Trial. Ran green, improvement to come but didn't seem to handle turn too well.
Black Bear Island Collared stablemate Freemantle close home to win the Dante; respected.
Crowded House Eighth and cramped for room in the Dante; scoped dirty afterwards. Connections racing against time since.
Debussy Owner won this last year but third in Chester Vase isn't music to the ears this time around.
Fame And Glory Unbeaten; impressive winner of Derringstown Stud Derby Trial. Big chance - aptly named perhaps?
Gan Amhras Third in 2000 Guineas, will appreciate set up in distance; stable says he has similar chance to last year's winner New Approach.
Golden Sword Front runner given too much rope when pinching Chester Vase @ 25/1 from stablemate Masterofthehorse.
Kite Wood By Galileo, fifth in the Dante when probably undercooked. Flying since but will need that and more.
Masterofthehorse Given too much to do when finishing like a train in Chester Vase.
Montaff Close second in Lingfield Trial when run needed. By Montjeu, has to stay calm on the day; trainer rates him as good as Youmzain.
Rip Van Winkle Sleepy fourth in 2000 Guineas. Well backed since and big chance provided he stays; Murtagh's choice.
Sea The Stars 2000 Guineas winner, bids to emulate Nashwan. John Oxx rates his chances of staying 'only 50-50' - big player if he does.
South Easter Part-owned by MD of Investec, Derby sponsor. Won a blanket finish to Chester's Dee Stakes; outsider.

Weekend digest

Sky Sports reports that Aidan O'Brien will run six in the Derby - Fame And Glory, Rip Van Winkle, Age Of Aquarius, Black Bear Island, Masterofthehorse and Golden Sword. Johnny Murtagh has first choice but it won't be an easy decision; on The Morning Line John Francome seemed convinced the stable jockey would opt for Rip Van Winkle.

We can expect plenty of media coverage in the build-up to Saturday's big race. Last Friday a colleague who should have known better asked me for an each-way longhsot - I came up with Mick Channon's Montaff on the back of the comments the trainer made at the 'Breakfast with the Stars' event the previous day. To paraphrase a report in the Racing Post, Channon thinks Montaff is as good as Youmzain; that's some compliment as Youmzain has finished second in the last two runnings of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, beaten by Dylan Thomas in 2007 and wonder filly Zarkava last year. If Channon is anywhere near right, Montaff looks worth an each-way dabble at the 50/1 offered by Coral, William Hill and Ladbrokes.

In a bid to put last season's disappointments behind him, Sam Thomas has taken the stable jockey position at Tom George's yard.

Saturday's Times ran an article entitled 'The armchair fan's guide to getting cheaper sport on TV'. I bring this quotation to your attention: "The BBC screens live coverage of the Open Championship, Wimbledon and a good deal of horse racing..." A good deal of horse racing? I must be missing something... Having said that, best wishes go to BBC presenter Clare Balding who has recently received treatment for thyroid cancer.

The big shock today has been at the French Open where Swede Robin Soderling beat Nadal by three sets to one. On Friday Andy Murray was generally a 20/1 shot to win the title; this evening he's 5/1.

Noted in running

What a fine weekend's work for Johnny Murtagh! He wins the Irish 2000 Guineas aboard Mastercraftsman on Saturday and then twenty four hours later collects the Irish 1000 Guineas on the appropriately-named Again.

Last week I wrote a paragraph highlighting Rip Van Winkle's chance in the Derby, provided, of course, you took the view the horse will stay. The rumour-mill has kicked into overdrive over the past couple of days, to such an extent that Rip Van Winkle is now as low as 4/1 (previously 10/1 with several layers) for the Epsom classic. Murtagh is on record as saying he has a 'soft spot' for Rip but he won't let his heart rule his head when he has to choose. Several observers have taken this as an indication Murtagh will ride Rip Van Winkle - I'm not so sure. If you have 10/1 Rip, now may be the time to consider a hedge on Fame And Glory, priced up at 7/2 with Coral.

Amongst other things Epsom racecourse is set to host 'Breakfast With The Stars' this coming Thursday and the Clement Freud Memorial, a £50,000 handicap, on Derby Day; 'Freud On Course' is due to be published by Racing Post books on Friday 5th June.

Talking of Sir Clement Freud - if the great man were still with us, I'm sure he would have had plenty to say on this 'Duck Pond parliament' and in the process would have marked our card on the market for the new House of Commons Speaker. I can't find Robin Oakley on Twitter so instead I've asked Austin Mitchell, Labour MP for Great Grimsby, to point us in the right direction. I recognise it's something of a longshot and I'm not holding my breath; so far I haven't heard a peep from the man, but, rest assured, if he passes on anything of interest, I'll let you know...

I bought the Racing Post on Saturday primarily to read Alistair Down's interview with John Inverdale. Honest. And a jolly interesting read it is too. Mr. Inverdale isn't particularly high on my list of preferred presenters - Alistair Down's line 'I had formed the opinion down the years that Inverdale would always get a game with the "Little Bit Pleased With Himself XI"...' echoed my perception. I've often thought Inverdale more interested in playing for laughs rather than asking questions the viewer wants answered. It turns out the BBC presenter has been an avid racing fan since childhood, has owned parts of several mediocre horses and now owns a part of a rather good one in the shape of Amour Propre. Perhaps time for a re-think on my part, methinks...

This time of year I can never decide whether to concentrate solely on the jumps or focus on the Flat; the result is I end up falling between the two stools. Over the jumps it was good to see Sam Thomas ride a double at Cartmel last night (for trainer Tom George) on his comeback after a crunching fall at Plumpton a fortnight ago. On the Flat, a reminder to those who like to bet the two-year-olds, Jason Coote's H.C.E. Horse Racing Tips is well worth consulting.

Finally, on Friday sports writers had some fun when (David) Horsey set off in front in the PGA Championship at Wentworth. Since then, Horsey has failed to keep up with the pace and has been swamped by his field...

To summarise...

Paco Boy failed to stay a mile on soft ground in Saturday's Juddmonte Lockinge at Newbury, John Gosden's Virtual beating Alexandros a nose. Dettori on the eventual runner-up dropped his whip well into the final furlong - did that make all the difference? Later in the afternoon Main Aim proved the proverbial Group horse in a handicap, winning the six furlong Berry Bros & Rudd Handicap by an astonishing seven lengths.

The Aidan O'Brien pair Black Bear Island and Freemantle took first and second in Thursday's Dante. Crowded House, the 2/1 favourite, ran flat in the trial, finished eighth and scoped badly afterwards; Brian Meehan will make a decision on his charge's particpation in the Derby within the next few days.

Currently the top five in the ante-post Derby market are all trained in Ireland. At this stage Rip Van Winkle, generally a 10/1 shot, offers decent value provided you take the view he'll stay -stable jockey Johnny Murtagh has expressed his concerns. The horse suffered a bruised foot in the run-up to the Guineas and John Francome was less than complimentary about the horse's appearance during the preliminaries for the classic. In the circumstances Rip Van Winkle ran well to finish fourth, especially as the stable was under something of a cloud at that time. There's improvement there but we don't know for certain he'll stay...

Back in March Venetia Williams won the Pertemps Final (three miles) at the Cheltenham Festival with Kayf Aramis. Two months on the same horse, with a different jockey up, wins Thursday's finale at York - Theripleycollection.com Handicap (two and a quarter miles) - by an eased-down thirteen lengths. A trip to Royal Ascot looks on the cards for this hurdler...

Earlier today I watched the BBC's coverage of the tennis exhibition matches from the new all-weather Wimbledon (roof closed). As a plug for the forthcoming Match of the Day Two programme, commentator Andrew Castle was heard to say something along the lines of '...and the [football] season's really hotting up now...' Would somebody please tell the man that Manchester United were crowned Premier League champions yesterday? Thanks.

Finally, a photo finish...

Caption: Another cert takes the wrong course, the race at his mercy. Mrs T wears the look of someone who has seen it all before...

Derby debrief

To me, this looked a decent renewal of the Derby and New Approach's victory something to celebrate. Yet the undercurrent of controvesy and recrimination which has surrounded this horse's participation was never far away, even in the winner's enclosure; Jim Bolger strikes me as an individual who won't lose too much sleep over all that. The first three home could meet again in the Irish Derby three weeks hence.

Statto, the BBC's 'betting expert', appears to have sorted out his money problems. The Corporation didn't want Angus giving his market commentaries at Aintree's Grand National meeting while he still had a bankruptcy case hanging over him. Viewers will have been pleased to see The Numerate One back on our screens, together with the laconic Gary Wiltshire, the over-dressed Claire Balding et al...

There will be no more racing at Epsom this season while building work is completed. I'm looking forward to taking Mrs Tips to the new on-site hotel...

Just eight days until Royal Ascot starts; I must locate a copy of Raceform Update's Royal Ascot Guide.

Over the weekend I struck a deal with Mrs Tips. I watched the Derby day racing on Saturday while she watched the men's singles final from Roland Garros on Sunday. Nadal's defeat of Federer may have been expected but the manner of that defeat certainly wasn't. Will this be the year Roger Federer relinquishes his Wimbledon crown? Hills bet 11/10 Federer and 4/1 Djokovic while Nadal is 9/2 with Coral.