Good afternoon, welcome to Derby day, the sun is shining, beautifully and brilliantly in the sky, however it was anything but ideal weather yesterday, in a rather farcical few hours, we went from the Clerk of the course, confirming the track was Good, Good to Firm in places, to after the opening race it basically being declared Soft. Whatever the excuse for such poor mismanagement, no-one in racing will seek to get to the bottom of it…
Anyway, in light of that, merely staying in the game was the key, we had winners as book-ends as we were successful in the first and last race of the day, dropping only a few points in a day which could have gone much worse.
Onto today (excuse the shorter write-ups I am away most of the day).
Epsom
14:00 – FREAK OUT for the mercurial George Boughey yard is the selection, well drawn, will hold somewhat off the place until presented at the death to hopefully sweep by the leaders.
FREAK OUT 13/2 1.5 points each way
14:35 – PARENTS PRAYER is the selection, having performed well on soft at Lingfield and Naas respectively, if he is ridden today a tad more prominently from the middle of the pack, expect the Archie Watson/Oisin Murphy pairing to score.
PARENTS PRAYER 4/1 2 points each way
15:10 – ESCOBAR stands out as the selection, down in the weights, proven to cope with the surface, at a decent price he is worth a play, we will also back Oh This is Us.
ESCOBAR 9/1 1.5 points each way
OH THIS IS US 14/1 1 point each way
15:45 – A nice big handicap for us, we will have a few selections:
COPPER KNIGHT 13/2 3 point each way
RECON MISSION 11/1 1 point each way (both 5 places)
16:30 – The Derby.
Nothing like the race it promised to be at the start of the week, however it still holds plenty of promise. In truth, the favourite, Bolshoi Ballet for O’Brien and Moore looks the one to beat, however we will do our utmost to do so.
HURRICANE LANE for Godolphin, is our primary selection, seating fierce fractions over 1mile 2furlongs at York last time out, he won on debut on Heavy hence if he has to can handle the ground.
ONE RULER for the boys in blue as well, is a fancy, having been prominent in the betting for the Guineas and the Derby in the off-season, he could be the forgotten horse, having performed on a myriad of ground last season to his credit.
and finally, ADAYAR, going triple- handed with the Appleby/Godolphin selections, he frankly should not be 40/1.
HURRICANE LANE 6/1 3 point each way
ONE RULER 11/1 1.5 point each way
ADYAR 40/1 0.75 point each way
17:15 – Group One Power looks the one to beat and the market agrees, planting him at the top at 13/8 – we will however throw a dart at PERCY STREET for David Pipe, can the National Hunt shrewdy, pick up an Epsom winner.
PERCY STREET 33/1 0.5 point each way
17:50 – in the final race of the day, we will back the fave, Ejtilaab.
Ejtilaab 7/2 3 point each way.
Multiples
Parents Prayer (235) , Bolshoi Ballet (430), Group One Power (515) 30/1 1 point each way
Horse Racing Selections 