Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Epsom Downs and Musselburgh on Saturday. View selections below.
STANHOPE GARDENS (3.30) represents a bit of value and could well upset a bevy of better-fancied rivals in the Betfred Derby at Epsom.
Ralph Beckett gave him a much-needed pipe-opener at Salisbury a fortnight ago and his colt, the yard’s second string behind Pride Of Arras according to betting patterns, doesn’t have much to find on the formbook with leading lights Delacroix and Ruling Court.
Stanhope Gardens pushed Delacroix to the limit at Newmarket last October, losing out by a neck following a protracted battle. That defeat came at a mile and his stout breeding points to more improvement over 12 furlongs.
Aidan O’Brien, a ten-time winner of the premier Classic (City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin in the last couple of years), fields a typically strong team and Delacroix is joined by Lambourn and The Lion In Winter.
Ryan Moore’s mount Delacroix has looked the real deal, mopping up the 1m 2f Ballysax Stakes and Leopardstown’s Derby Trial this season.
He has more than two lengths in hand of subsequent Chester Vase winner Lambourn on earlier form and his backers seem happy to risk any possible stamina flaws.
Charlie Appleby’s Ruling Court may have had fortune on his side when beating injudiciously ridden Field Of Gold at HQ but the form is mustard given the runner-up’s subsequent thumping triumph in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh. However, lingering stamina doubts have been expressed and Ruling Court may have to settle for a place.
The Lion In Winter had Ruling Court more than two lengths adrift in third when landing last summer’s Acombe Stakes at York but needs to bounce back from last month’s mediocre effort in the Dante Stakes won convincingly by Pride Of Arras.
Damysus, trained by John and Thady Gosden, finished just over a length behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante and reportedly produced a sparkling piece of work midweek.
He is joined by stablemate Nightwalker, the mount of Tom Marquand.
This year’s Derby has been named in honour of the late Aga Khan and it would be entirely fitting if his colours were to the fore aboard Midak, unbeaten in three career starts in France.
There’s an early start to the eight-race programme and James Tate’s ROYAL DRESS (1.00) is fancied to get punters off to a flier in the one-mile Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
The mare ran on into third spot in this Group 3 event 12 months ago after being briefly checked before the final furlong and can turnaround places with the runner-up Chic Columbine (out of form so far this season).
Royal Dress should have been sharpened up by last month’s third to useful See The Fire at York.
Several useful three-year-olds go to post for the 1m 2f Lester Piggott Handicap and WAR HAWK (5.00) comes here in the form of his life on the back of an emphatic victory at Chester last Saturday.
Simon and Ed Crisford’s gelding powered to the front early in the straight and is preferred in an open contest to Hollie Doyle’s mount Grecian Legacy, a Goodwood winner last month.
There are some sharp sprinters lining up for the closing 6f handicap and a hell for leather pace is on the cards. GET IT (5.40) never saw another rival when bolting up at Ascot in early May and George Baker’s speedster may well defy a 7lb rise. My selection, winner of last year’s Stewards’ Cup winner at Glorious Goodwood, revels in this type of event.
Badri scooped this prize two years ago and once again has the services of Hollie Doyle, while any rain would aid the cause of Richard Fahey’s Strike Red.
There’s a competitive card at Musselburgh where ABDUCTION (1.55) is worth an interest in the 7f handicap.
Jim Goldie’s gelding was denied a clear run at a crucial stage when pipped by stable companion Oriental Prince at Haydock and found the step up to a mile beyond him 11 days later at Ayr. The drop back in distance can do the trick.
Tally Ho
Alan
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