Disappointment On The Downs

Well another Derby weekend comes and goes and I have to admit I’ve come away from the 2013 renewal feeling slightly flat and deflated.

It wasn’t all bad, of course, the horrible weather of the previous few days  finally relented and the sun shone on the Downs. The crowds were healthy, 120,000 on the big day itself but those large crowds bring inherent problems as an annoying minority seem to be unable to control themselves after a few drinks.

Friday didn’t get off to a good start as it finally saw the return of Frankie Dettori after serving a six month ban after being caught with traces of cocaine in his system after a drug test in France last September.

With the delays in the returning of his licence I was beginning to find the whole affair more than tiresome.

Of course when he finally did return the frenzy in certain parts of the media was frankly nauseating and one of the worse offenders was Channel Four.

You would think we were witnessing the return of some long lost hero – we weren’t.

Let’s get this straight Dettori was banned after taking a drug which it is a criminal offence to both possess and use. This is not the action of some immature youngster this is the action of a supposedly mature and responsible 42 year old man, father to five children – what a wonderful example to set to them.

He then moves the Dettori PR machine into overdrive claiming it was a moment of madness, a one of mistake. Towards the end of a ban he agrees to the softest of soft interviews with Clare Balding, who by her own admission has been a friend of his for years – so  no danger of a Paxmanesque interrogation there then?

Also, let's not forget Dettori has previous when it comes to cocaine .... he must be a very unlucky person to have only had the drug twice and to have been caught both times. 

Remember Dettori is a shrewd PR operator – switch on the TV cameras and he is the jolly chirpy Italian jockey, away from the cameras and the big meetings the story is different.

I have witnessed, first hand, the other side of Dettori and frankly I think he is an objectionable, obnoxious individual.

For me, after all the fuss about his return, I was actually two of his three mounts came home last.

One of the biggest smiles about his overblown return actually came courtesy of Channel Four.

Emma Spencer, clearly employed for her supposed good looks rather than her racing knowledge, interviewed Neil Callan the winner of Resurgent  and then proceeded to ask him about his “ride” in the next race on Sri Putra – a ride where he had been jocked off by one L Dettori.

He soon put Ms Spencer in her place but how ironic that one of the star presenters of Channel Four was unaware of the jockey change, when the broadcaster she is employed by were having the broadcasting version of an orgasm over Dettori’s return.      

Racing in Friday was good with the aptly named Talent winning The Oaks giving trainer Ralph Beckett an amazing 1-2 in the race, although not in the order expected and it gave Richard Hughes a second classic win in a few weeks.

Saturday dawned and the two feature races were starkly different.

In the Coronation Cup we had St Nicholas Abbey looking for an unprecedented third consecutive win.

With around £9.5k on offer for finishing fifth it was disappointing to see only five runners, especially when two of the five were simply in the race as pacemakers. With trainers complaining about the lack of prize money you would have thought more would have had a pop, even if it were for the decent place purse.

In the end the script worked out as planned with St Nicholas Abbey coming home, barely breaking sweat, followed home by Dunaden.

He can only beat what is put in front of him but with almost £5m in winnings he has been a credit to connections.

Before I turn to The Derby I must mention The Dash over the fastest five furlong course in the country.

Ryan Moore gave Duke of Firenze a sublime ride. I 9^th place and behind wall of horses a half-a-furlong from home, he weaved through rivals to go on and record a neck victory.

Even more impressive was the run of the runner-up, Smoothtalkinrascal, under  Daniel Tudhope, who was as far back as 14^th at the half furlong pole.

Well in the big race itself we had a well touted favourite in Dawn Approach. I have to admit he is a horse I have long admired and I really wanted him to do well in The Derby – as we now know it wasn’t to be.      

I think it's the worse Derby I can remember, a very messy race and I can't recall the last time there were six stewards inquiries into a single race.

Poor Kevin Manning didn't stand a chance in the race - Dawn Approach ran as if a pot of mustard had been shoved up his backside, he took off like a horse possessed and it would have been no surprise if Manning had not returned with arms six inches longer than when he had set out.

Full credit to Ballydoyle who employed perfect tactics, in not employing a pacesetter  they played on the perceived weaknesses of the favourite. Although looking at Dawn Approach I think he would probably have blown up whatever tactics had been employed.

French raider Ocovango probably would not have won but would have been possibly been placed were it not for him getting mullered twice. I wonder  would a jockey with more experience of Epsom have done better on him?

Mars, fancied in some areas, didn't get the best of runs either.

OK The Derby is always a rough race but this one just didn't seem right at all.

Did the "best" horse win - possibly but even that is open to debate.

It was a fantastic day for Ryan Moore though.

Moore often gets slated for “not having a personality” but I would rather have him ride a horse of mine than the coke snorting showman Dettori.   

The Ultimate Test

This week sees one of my four “must not miss” meetings as most eyes in the racing world focus on Epsom Downs for The Oaks and The Derby.

The other three “must not miss” meetings are, by the way, Cheltenham, Royal Ascot and Arc Weekend at Longchamp.

I have to fess up here and say The Derby has not always been a favourite race of mine but being of a certain age I am now in position where I am allowed to modify my views and for me it is now the supreme test for a horse on the flat. A race which, in its own way, is as demanding for the three year old colts as the Grand National is for seasoned handicap chasers.

In days of yore I used to spend Derby Day on The Hill, partly because it was free but even when I could afford to go to the main enclosures I still stuck with The Hill, not least because of the incredible buzz and atmosphere, even though viewing was restricted to the big screen.

Another advantage of being on The Hill is you can stroll to the start and see the top thoroughbreds  prior to the race. Having been to the start of many races the atmosphere before The Derby is different. The usual banter is absent, even the usually exuberant Dettori is unusually quiet and contemplative. When the gates swing open the sheer horsepower is clearly evident.

Now Derby Day is a working day for me and I have even developed my own ritual on the day.

I ensure I am at the track by 8:30 in the morning and after a hearty breakfast I set off for what is now the most important part of the day for me, walking the course.

There is a surreal feeling walking across the near deserted Downs at 9:00 on Derby Day, it is difficult to imagine that in a few hours time there will be around 100,000 people, hopefully, enjoying the day.

Soon I am at the end of the racetrack and the only clue as to the importance of the position is a sign which reads “1½ Miles, Derby and Oaks Start, 2400 metres” .

Looking round you can see the course rising into the distance but even then you do not fully appreciate how difficult the course actually is. The first 3½ furlongs of the course is a steady uphill climb but it isn’t until you actually begin to walk it that you realise just how tough a climb it is.

Now I love walking – I will walk all day, however by the time I reach the top of the climb I invariably find my calf muscles beginning to tighten and beads of perspiration forming in places I do not want beads of perspiration forming and that is only going at a sedate pace.

By the mile pole the angle of ascent has decreased to a gentle incline, flattening out by the seven pole before a gentle left hand swing and finally a chance for the runners to get some breath into their lungs before beginning the descent for home.

The descent begins gently just after the six furlong marker, the speed increases but it isn’t going to get any easier as they head towards Tattenham Corner, jostling for position and the straight opens up before them.

A wide open expanse but this is no ordinary straight, the infamous camber will result in the unwary or unbalanced being pulled towards the far-side rail as if being pulled by some irresistible force.

Walking the course early morning there is an eerie quietness, come the race the horses will be meeting a wall of sound like they have never heard before, as the entire straight is lined on both sides by the shouting, cheering crowds.

It takes me about 35 minutes to walk the course, for the winner glory comes some 2½ minutes after the gate opens – running into the record books as winner of The Derby.

For me, after walking the course, a couple of bottles of water and a sit down.  
For winning connections, after the race,  financial rewards and glory, for the winning horse the prospect of a life at stud.

For those who were there plenty of memories to take home.  

The Derby, The Oaks and Coronation Cup are all hard races run on a very difficult course.

Can you imagine if Epsom came along today, as a new racecourse?

Do you think they would actually be granted a licence to race with such a testing, idiosyncratic track?

The answer is probably no but fortunately the course came along a long time before ‘elf and safety rules and overpowering officialdom.

As a result we have a race which is the ultimate test of the horse and horsemanship and long may it remain that way.

Another Year Over

Well as we slowly skid our way towards the end of another year it is traditional to look back at another year and I am going to be no different.

I suppose if we are going to be pedantic I could say it is a look back at ten months of racing as both the January and December fixture lists ended up being decimated by the weather.

Indeed it could be argued that Mother Nature is doing what the BHA have singularly failed to do, namely cut back the fixture list.

2010 saw an embarrassing dithering and the exemplification of how divided racing is, with the 2011 fixture list farrago.

With a realisation there would be a massive reduction in the Levy yield it soon became clear the BHA board had no plan B in terms of funding or how to manage the situation.

Out came noises that the 2011 fixture list would face a massive pruning, not before time said many of us. Yet when the fixture list was finally published the reduction was minimal, so small it would hardly be noticed.

What would be noticeable would the a massive reduction in prize money with minimum prize values being reduced or even scrapped.

All the fiasco did was underline how impotent the BHA is when it comes to running the sport and it again underlined how much power the bookmakers have as they continue to leech the sport.

The situation at the BHA is not helped by the attitude of its Chairman Paul Ray, a man with a such a massive ego he has, himself, become the story to the detriment of the sport. Indeed Roy must be the biggest single obstacle to a meaningful Levy replacement being negotiated, yet he somehow manages to remain in post.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At the beginning of the flat season it was being asked if 2010 could surpass the excitement of 2009 where Sea The Stars became the 21st century’s first flat equine superstar.

The atmosphere was quite low on Epsom Downs the first Saturday in June as we gathered to view, what looked on paper, to be a sub-standard Derby.

Even as Ryan Moore crossed the line seven lengths clear on Workforce the initial reaction amongst us media cynics was “impressive, but what has he beaten.”

It was only when judge Nick Bostock announced he had won in a course record time that we suddenly began to ask were we watching another equine superstar?

The illusion was shattered at in the King George VI at Ascot when he put in woeful performance, coming home fifth of sixth, even his handled Sir Michael Stoute was at a loss to explain the drop in form.

His next appearance was at Longchamp where Stoute was bullish about his prospects although many, myself included, had our doubts.

It is, of course, dangerous to question Sir Michael as was shown as he returned to take the Arc, winning what was a very rough renewal.

Stoute admitted after the victory he had managed to get the horses training wrong earlier in the season.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over the sticks we had another round of the Kauto Star / Denman battle as we headed towards the Gold Cup.

Again the weather has some say as after three and a half days of lovely weather the rain arrived just before the big race. However it could not dampen the spirits of the sell out crowd, many of whom were adorned in either Denman or Kauto colours.

The burning question was which of Paul Nicholls stars would prevail.

Of course the joy of racing is the horses do not read the script. Kauto Star had one of his bad jumping days, eventually falling four out, having blundered earlier on.

Denman was prominent and finished best of the Nicholls four but offered no challenge to Imperial Commander who came home an impressive seven length winner although he still has his detractors.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another case of the script not being read came at Churchill Downs when the wonder horse Zenyatta attempted to end her career undefeated and ensure her place in racing folklore. She will still remain in the hearts and minds of many but Blame came and spoiled the party and her immortality was denied.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When you have been champion jockey for 15 years where else do you go?

Well AP McCoy showed us this year as he finally overcame his Grand National hoodoo and, in the process, proving wrong those who said he was unemotional.

His year was crowned, literally, by becoming the first jockey to win the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On a negative note Racing For Change continued to be a waste of money and resources.

The few excellent ideas it has had have not been followed up, whilst they continue to pursue pointless exercises and, worse of all, take the credit for things they have not achieved.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On a personal note I, once again, set myself the target of visiting every UK racecourse in 2010.

Due to a combination of bad weather, volcanic ash clouds and family problems I failed by five courses.

Is it worth trying again in 2011?

Probably not, this is the third year I have attempted to achieve the “full set” in a calendar year and the third time I have failed.

This year being the most spectacular failure of all, the previous two years I failed by one and two respectively …. perhaps if I don’t deliberately set out to achieve it in 2011 I may end up doing it.

Alter Ego

Before I ramble off towards this weeks main theme let me first congratulate Ryan Moore on winning the Oaks / Derby double. Whilst not a unique achievement, it takes some doing nonetheless. Also the rides were contrasting in style, with the Oaks win on Snow Fairy being a perfect example of the equine equivalent of threading a needle, the Derby win was a case of not panicking in the face of unusual tactics.

In the past I have been critical of Moore and his poor PR image. Yesterday I spent some time in his company and I think his “communication problems” are more a matter of shyness than bloody mindedness. Anyway we would soon tire if every rider had the ebullience of Dettori.

At the end of the day I would rather a jockey did the talking with his riding and, in the case of Moore, that is an area in which he speaks loudly and clearly.

Talking of communication, I had an unsolicited e-mail from the USA this week. Unusually is wasn’t an abusive mail telling me I was talking out of my posterior.

This one was from a chap saying it was a long time since he had seen me and was asking if I was planning to tour again? The giveaway though was, how long had I been living in the UK?

It was then the penny dropped. He had Googled my name and had confused me with my namesake, who is, by all accounts, an excellent jazz saxophonist.

To confuse the pair of us would greatly amuse anybody who knows me well, as it is an indisputable fact I am tone deaf, have no musical ability and cannot hold a note of any kind.

Indeed I cannot even whistle in tune.

I am to singing or music what Les Dawson was to piano playing.

Anyway I wrote back to this chap pointing out his mistake and commenting on my lack of musical ability. It emerges he is a music teacher and he wrote back with a lovely response saying everyone has a latent musical talent, it just needs the right person to bring it out.

This confusion made me think about racing commentators and their namesakes.

I suppose I ought to deal with the most obvious racing example, namely Jim McGrath.

One is the former Timeform guru, stalwart of Channel Four Racing, and BHA director, known for making his astute observations with his eyes half closed. The other is the Australian born commentator, a breath of fresh air when he first arrived in the UK, but a commentator who some may, unfairly, say commentates with his eyes half closed on occasion.

Derek Thompson is a name to provoke strong reactions. The marmite man of racing and the racing broadcaster (along with Matt Chapman) who really polarises opinion. Either the most irritating thing to be found on the racecourse, even more irritating than those blessed flying beetles at Epsom, or the sort of person who can entertain or engage with the crowds and have them eating out of his hand. Or is Derek Thompson the actor who has been in Casualty since the first episode, playing Charlie Fairhead?

Perhaps, next time he is treating a patient, Charlie Fairhead could be given the line, “don’t worry, you’ll be OK big fella.”

Is Lee McKenzie the very sexy former presenter on the original At The Races or the racecourse commentator? Have they been seen in the same room together? (sorry Lee!!)

Fortunately the only thing I only have one thing in common with point-to-point expert and sometimes commentator Iain MacKenzie is that his namesake, like mine, is also a jazz musician. His being a UK based jazz /swing singer.

Continuing the musical theme Simon Holt’s alter-ego is a UK composer of contemporary classical music, whilst Mark Slater is also a contemporary British composer.

When I Googled Mark Johnson the first listing stated, “Mark Johnson was eight years old when he started to see a psychiatrist about his violent tendencies. That was the same year he first got drunk. ...” and I thought I was on to something really interesting, only to discover the article was about Mark Johnson the author of Wasted.

Perhaps he needs to visit Mark Johnson who is professor of philosophy at the University of Oregon, or is he also be Mark Johnson former top ice hockey star and now coach?

If you are into hot cars then Graham Goode is the man for you as Graham Goode Racing will hot tune your car for you, especially if it is a Subaru or Mitsubishi.

Finally Malcolm Tomlinson, another soap actor, star of Emmerdale, Eastenders and Hollyoaks.

Oh hang on – he really is the same one!!!!

Right I’m now off to find out just how good a saxophonist I really am.

Happy Days

Last weekend I had a weekend off from racing, I had a good excuse though as it was my Dad’s 85th birthday.

Quite an achievement really as, having researched my family history over the past year, one thing that has become clear is longevity is not a family trait and by reaching the grand old age of 85 he easily holds the family record for longevity.

Sadly his health is not what it once was and there were some mixed feelings on the weekend as all the family gathered to help him celebrate his big day.

For as long as I can remember Dad has always bet, usually surreptitiously as my Mother does not approve of betting, also money was always tight when we were growing up and she saw betting as frittering away money.

Not that Dad is, by any description, a big gambler. He bets in pence rather than pounds. I think the biggest bet I have ever seen him put on is £10 and that is one I paid for on-course and I could not stand the embarrassment of him being with me and putting on a two pound bet.

Dad is the sort of punter High Street bookmakers love, what we snootily call a mug punter.

I think I can say with almost 100% confidence that in over 60 years of betting he has never once looked at any type of form line. He tends to bet on names, although the exact selection criteria does sometimes change. The most usual selection technique seems to be any horse with Red in its name, which is how he managed to back the Grand National winner Red Marauder, probably his best ever win.

I have no doubt I caught the betting bug from him and I still remember my first “big” win. We lived in Portsmouth and I had £5 e/w on a 33/1 shot, I am ashamed to admit it now but I chose the horse because of its name but at the time I did not care, a winner was a winner.

All I know is the £208 I picked up was a hell of a lot of money. It was on a Friday afternoon and to celebrate I rang home and told Dad I had booked two tickets on that evenings ferry to Guernsey and we were off for a “Father and Son” weekend away.

A few weeks ago I was having a tidy up in the loft and I found the photo album with reminders of that weekend away. Happy days.

Talking of happy days, my postman has been busy recently as in the last ten days I have received my press badges for both the Epsom Derby meeting and Royal Ascot.

It seems only yesterday I was excitedly gearing up for Cheltenham and now we have the highlights of the flat season looming.

I make no secret of the fact I prefer National Hunt racing to the flat, however I am not one of those who loathes the other code. I do enjoy the flat, especially the top quality races although, like many, I get frustrated that the top performers seem to get shipped off to stud as soon as their three-year-old season is over.

Epsom, especially on Derby Day, has a great atmosphere. I have to confess before Derby Day became a working day for me I used to go to Derby Day most years, yet I had never seen the race from the main enclosures. I always used to watch the race from The Hill.

I say watch the race, that is not strictly true, you don’t see that much on the hill, just the horses flashing past you briefly and unless you look at the big screen you have no idea how the race is developing. For all that however there is a fantastic party atmosphere on the hill.

One year I went down to watch the Derby Start. Now I have seen quite a few starts over the years but watching a Derby start is something else.

For a start these are not ordinary horses. There are no donkeys or non-tries after a handicap mark in this race. These are the best and you can see they are. All the runners trained to perfection, in perfect condition, muscles rippling.

The jockeys are somehow different as well. No joking, joshing or insulting. All with looks of intense concentration, even Dettori invariably looks serious.

When the gates open it is like a coiled spring being released, you can feel the release of energy. It is the sort of experience that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

Royal Ascot, on the other hand, is a meeting that has taken a while to grow on me. In strictly racing terms it has to be the highlight of the flat season. Five days of top quality, competitive racing.

OK it is hard work from a reporting perspective and trying to read a race with 32 runners charging at you head-on does little to help the nerves.

However there are the crowds. Now I know Cheltenham, especially on Gold Cup day, can be just as crowded as the Royal meeting. However at Cheltenham most of those there do have an interest in the racing. At Ascot far too many are there just to be seen and the racing is of little or no importance.

Now don’t get me wrong the non-racing “views”, especially on Ladies Day, can be a joy to behold and a more than pleasant distraction. However as the drink flows the afternoons can become less and less enjoyable, especially in the General Enclosure.

Luckily over the past few years I have managed to discover the “rat runs” which, with the benefit of a media pass, allows you to get around the place missing the bulk of the crowds.

This weekend sees one of my favourite racing days of the year. It is not a major festival and the quality of the racing is generally bottom draw. It is also the one meeting each year that my wife absolutely insists on joining me for. The first race is not until 18:00, yet in order to get a decent spot to watch the racing we will need to arrive at the course around 11:00 in the morning. I am talking, of course, about Cartmel.

The idiosyncratic course set in the middle of the Lake District, an impossible course to view the racing but a fantastic day out in a beautiful village. You park in the centre of the course and if you arrive early enough you can get one of the “cherished” parking spots by the rails.

We either park by the 2m 1f / 3m 2f start or by the open ditch. The barbies come out or, even better, go to the famous village store (home of the legendary sticky toffee pudding) and choose a selection of cold meats and pies from their deli.

There is something really special about a days racing at Cartmel. It is a meeting every NH fan should go to at least once and when you have been once it is almost an odds-on certainty you will want to go again and again.

The forecast for Saturday is for showers, they will not dampen the spirits at Cartmel.

Derby Preview

Age Of Aquarius

One of a host of Ballydoyle entries and, it is safe to say, probably not their leading light in the contest.

Began his career on the AW at Dundalk but showed sufficient potential to be entered for the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last season where he came home fourth, a length and a half behind Fame And Glory.

Winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial in May, making the running and running-on having been headed a furlong out.

The Lingfield trial has not been strong in recent years and this year is no exception.

He is entitled to come on for that first run and there is no reason why he could not edge a place.

Black Bear Island

Winner of the Dante Stakes at York and the victory distance of a head does not tell the full story as he was left with a great deal to do in the closing stages and with a better ride could have won the contest much more convincingly.

Being a full brother to the 2002 winner High Chaparral he certainly has the genes to suggest he is capable of taking the Blue Riband.

He is still an improving horse and the extra two furlongs in The Derby should not inconvenience him, especially taking into account the manner in which he was running on in the Dante.

Must have a very real chance.

It looks as though Black Bear Island will be ridden by champion UK jockey Ryan Moore.

Crowded House

An impressive victory in last seasons Racing Post Trophy propelled the Brian Meehan trained colt to the head of the ante-post market over the winter.

However the omens have not been good this season.

He was taken out of the 2000 Guineas and sent directly to York’s Dante where he was, frankly, very disappointing.

He came home a lackluster eighth, showing none of the devastating turn of foot demonstrated as a two-year-old.

The trainer attempted to put a gloss on the performance by suggesting the colt needed the run more than they thought.

However it is hard to get away from the belief that the colt has not trained on.

Debussy

Winner of the Classic Trial here at Epsom he beat Oaks Midday in good style and if she runs well in the Oaks then his price will surely drop for the big one.

However next time out he seemed to have been put in his place in the Chester Vase, coming home third behind two of his rivals today in Golden Sword and Masterofthehorse.

It is said the tight course at Chester was not to his liking and the ground was also too firm.

Well he has proved the course here at Epsom is no problem (he is the only course winner in the field), however it looks as though the ground may go against him.

If the Met Office have completely screwed up and there is plenty of rain before Saturday then he may have an outsiders chance of a place.If, however, it stays dry I would not be surprised if he was taken out.

Fame And Glory

Carries the mantle of being the only unbeaten runner in this year’s renewal.Likely to start favourite he ticks all the right boxes and has the ideal profile of a Derby winner.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien-trained (and with Vincent O’Brien passing away this week what an emotional winner he would be).

He is by Montjeu sire of two winners of this race already, he is a Group 1 winner, and has been an easy winner of the top two Irish trials this season.

If you are looking for negatives then the only glaring one is that stable jockey Johnny Murtagh looks as though he has opted for stablemate Rip Van Winkle, however it would not be the first time a top rider has made the wrong pick.

Also the jockey that is set to take the ride, Seamus Heffernan has ridden the horse before.

Gan Amhras

Trained by last years controversial winning trainer, Jim Bolger, Gan Amhras is also following a similar approach to New Approach.

Third in the 2000 Guineas and coming on to tackle the Derby, the son of Galileo has trained on, showing considerable improvement and looking to be crying out for this longer trip. In the Guineas he was certainly putting in his best work in the closing stages, having apparently been outpaced in the early stages.

He certainly has the scope to come on again and rates a decent each way prospect.

Golden Sword

A shock winner of the Chester Vase where he seemed to be put in the race as a pacemaker and well fancied stablemate Masterofthehorse ran a tactically terrible race.

It is fair to say the result of the Vase was a “one off” and it looks as though Golden Sword is here as a pacemaker again and on this occasion he will not be winning.

Kite Wood

Godolphin’s attempt to win the race in 2009 and it looks destined to be another vain attempt.

Although the winner of Ascot’s Autumn Stakes last season, when trained by Michael Jarvis, he was a very disappointing fifth in the Dante.

Another who looks as though he has not trained on.

Masterofthehorse

Another Ballydoyle contended who is not one of the shining lights.

Controversially beaten by stablemate Golden Sword in the Chester Vase after a terrible ride from his jockey.

However even presuming he had won the Vase it was not a strong renewal and his form to date is not enough to take a Derby.

Montaff

Runner-up to Age Of Aquarius in the Lingfield Derby Trial, the form of that run was certainly an improvement on his two-year-old form.

He will have to improve again to have any chance of being placed in this contest, not an impossibility, but unlikely.

Rip Van WinkleShowed that Johnny Murtagh is perfectly capable of choosing the right horse when he prefered Rip Van Winkle to Mastercraftsman in the 2000 Guineas.

Taking into account his preparation had been interrupted by a bruised foot his fourth was a credible performance and he was certainly doing his best work in the closing stages.

It looks as though Johnny Murtagh is staying loyal to him in the Derby, however there are two big question marks hanging over him.

Will he act on the course and, more importantly, will he get the mile and a half?

Sea The Stars

Looking to be the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to take the Guineas / Derby double.

The half-brother to 2001 Derby winner Galileo beat a high class field in the 2000 Guineas, looking as though a step up in trip is well within his compass, although whether 1¼ or 1½ miles is his optimum trip is the $64,000 question.

South Easter

Very unexposed, only making his debut in April this year, coming second in a maiden at Newbury before going on to take the Dee Stakes at Chester.

This year’s Dee Stakes was not a high quality renewal with a blanket covering the first four home.Probably the biggest unknown in the field.

On what has been seen in public he has little chance, however being the most unexposed he has the greatest potential to improve and spring a major shock.

Verdict

A few weeks ago William Hill were offering 5/4 that there would be an Irish 1-2-3. That looked to be a standout price and it still does.

I can see an O'Brien 1-2, with another Irish raider taking third.

1 Fame And Glory
2 Black Bear Island
3 Gan Amhras