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Idaho Offers Some Each Value In The Arc – By Rick Elliott

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Idaho is not without claims to make the frame or even win the contest in the most prestigious Flat race in Europe. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe brings together the best horses from the Classic generation and older runners and on all known form it looks a penalty kick for Enable. However, recent history tells us three-year-old fillies who have not had a break in the summer struggle in the showpiece occasion in France which is run over one mile four furlongs.

Idaho is trained by Aidan O’Brien who was responsible for the first three in last year’s Arc. The trainer is again mob handed but Ryan Moore has chosen to ride Winter. His mount is a female horse aged three so she gets the same age and gender allowances as Enable but is a much bigger price. Moore explained the logic of selecting Winter as his Arc mount in the Racing Post this week:

“Winter is a high-class filly who has won four Group 1s and has won on the soft. None of us know if she’ll stay a mile and half until we try”.

The dual Guineas winner is unproven over the distance of the Arc but her class is there to see. The same thing and more could be said about Enable who has won four races over 12 furlongs at the highest level this season.

The key trial in the context of the Arc in Britain this season is the King George at Ascot in July. Enable was much too good for a high class field of colts but was carrying a full stone less than the male older horses. Enable beat Ulysses by four and a half lengths at Ascot and Idaho was a further quarter of a length adrift.

Ulysses and Idaho are carrying ten pounds more than Enable in the Arc which suggests they could finish four lengths closer than in the King George. That leave Idaho with just over one length to make up on Enable and that is a small margin for error. Enable is the most likely winner but given bad luck in running doesn’t have much to play with on a form line with Idaho.

In Order Of St George and Capri O’Brien has runners who have won some of the major races on the Flat. Sometimes jockeys are not the best judge and maybe Moore has been swayed by the efforts of three-year-old fillies in Group 1 races this season. He may not admit it in public but Moore is probably slightly envious of Frankie Dettori who rides Enable in the Arc, a race he has won four times.

His mount this year is trading at around Even money but Idaho can be backed at 40/1. The favourite is the better horse and the form pick for the Arc but the price is too big to ignore Idaho who should be backed each way with bookmakers who offer one quarter the odds for three places. If Enable fluffs her lines Idaho has the form to take advantage and in any case can make the payout places.

Enable Cannot Be Opposed In The Arc – By Rick Elliott

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The weight for age scale and gender allowances have served horse racing well but it seems unfair that Enable will get both concessions in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The horse is a three-year-old filly so is perceived to be at an age and sex disadvantage and the weight conditions should see the horse justify favouritism. The race is a Group 1 contest run over 12 furlongs, at Chantilly again this year as building work is taking place at Longchamp.

Enable recived weight from the older horses and colts in the King George at Ascot. Highland Reel was carrying a full stone more and that burden was just too big. Enable never looked not winning that race and it would have taken a wonder horse to beat her carrying a full stone more. Collateral form regarding Ulysses strengthens her case and she should confirm Ascot running if that horse tales part.

Enable was equally as impressive in winning the Yorkshire Oaks at York in August and in the Arc is now the target. Fillies have won four of the last five Arcs which shows that at the highest level the weight advantage is crucial. Enable is the ante post odds-on favourite to make that record five from six. Every winner since 2003 has been aged three or four and Enable is three.

The horse won the English and Irish Oaks earlier this season so has now won four Group 1 contests in the last three months. She is arguably now the best horse in training in Europe and the Arc is Europe’s most prestigious Flat race. Enable hardened in the betting after two leading contenders from France ran poor trials.

Enable dominates the Arc betting to such an extent that every other horse is quoted at double-figure odds. Luck in running is important in the Arc but Frankie Dettori can stay out of trouble by riding his horse from the front. Enable is the horse to back on form and ratings and cannot be opposed with both weight allowances.

Simon Holden Racing Club

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It’s the final day of the Ebor Festival at York, today. It features a competitive seven-race card not to be missed. We have five £10 Free Bets available for all new customers who open an account with this up and coming bookie. That’s enough free bets to keep you betting through the card….

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Simon Holden Racing Club

Ebor day is here and what a week its been on the Knavesmire.

Chump of the week has to be Frankie Dettori who started celebrating Lady Aurelia winning the Nunthorpe before the result of the photo finish.

Frankie was busy shushing the crowd, waving and shaking hands with other jockeys whilst many in the crowd who were on the well backed favourite seeing Frankie began to celebrate too and make their way to collect.

The only slight issue for Frankie was the horse had actually got beat by Marsha and cue much embarrassment for the cheeky chappy as he made his way to the runners up enclosure. This embarrassing scene rather overshadowed a brilliant performance from Marsha and Luke Morris to win the race and mark her down as a very special filly.

Prescott was convinced she would run a big race back on better ground and this must be one of his greatest moments in racing and for Frankie well we all make mistakes but I suspect he will wait from now on when he is in a tight finish.

Today the meeting kicks off with a cracker in the shape of the Group 3 Strensall Stakes and Mondialiste can keep the prize in Yorkshire for that man O’Meara. Mondialiste has taken time to warm up this season but ran a screamer here last time to be second. This is a race the horse has triumphed in before and I’m sure its been the plan all year to return.

O’Meara has had a quiet spell but had an excellent winner in Lincoln Rocks on Thursday and there are very strong vibes that Mondialiste will add to his brilliant record on the Knavesmire. The 3/1 with Coral looks very tasty.

Lets have a great last day and if Mondialiste is in a photo finish… well you know the rest!

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Back next Saturday,

Simon Holden

Royal Ascot Preview – Day Two

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Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and admit you were wrong, and that was certainly the case with Tepin (and indeed EVERY OTHER RACE ON THE CARD). She was brilliant, and the gamble for connections paid off in some style.

Caravaggio was spectacular (although amazingly he’s not yet been anointed with the title of best 2yo they’ve seen at Coolmore – give it time), whilst Profitable showed he is the real deal this year under a great ride from new dad Adam Kirby. The St James’s Palace Stakes was almost everything we’d hoped for, and Frankie Dettori showed why he’s such a top jockey by learning his lesson from the Irish Guineas and getting a decisive first run on Awtaad and The Gurkha. I’m sure Ryan Moore and Chris Hayes would both love the chance to ride again and take note of what was happening at the front of the race rather than concentrating on each other.

What price a race between The Gurkha, Galileo Gold, Awtaad and Tepin at Glorious Goodwood?! Jennies Jewel proved me, myself and I correct in that she’s in great form and was guaranteed to stay (sometimes I should just read back what I’ve actually written) and confidence was high in Mister Trader following Caravaggio’s victory. Unfortunately Mister Trader tried to compete with Big City Dreamin’s early speed and he went backwards quicker than Mecca’s Angel, leaving Ardad to run out a worthy winner.

Day Two centres largely around the fillies, although potentially the big story of the day is the appearance of A Shin Hikari, who simply could not have been more impressive when winning at Chantilly last time out. For those of you like me who love the international flavour to the big races, then it would be great for the sport if this brilliant Japanese horse can prevail following Tepin’s victory yesterday. If you do fancy a bet on A Shin Hikari, however, then don’t use the Tote as if the Japanese fans descend on Royal Ascot, they may well destroy the price which is short enough as it is.

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2:30, Jersey Stakes, 7f, 3yo.

This Group 3 looks as open as any race at the Royal meeting, with a field of 21 runners declared and only 4 of those in single figure prices. The favourite is likely to be Castle Harbour for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori and it’s not hard to see why. He’s won both his starts over this distance, on soft ground at Newmarket and good ground at York, and crucially has big field experience – his York win was against 19 rivals. However, this is a big step up in class and at the prices I prefer GIFTED MASTER for Hugo Palmer and Pat Smullen. Gifted Master, to put it politely, was a rather exuberant 2yo and once he was gelded, his form went to a new level. However, that gelding operation excluded him from being a Guineas contender – he would have been one and instead has been campaigned over 6f this year in spite of winning over both 7f and a mile as a 2yo. Therefore I think the extra furlong will suit him perfectly and I’m confident he won’t be inconvenienced by the cut in the ground. Of the rest, the Godolphin challenge looks strong and I also like the look of Ibn Malik.
Selection: GIFTED MASTER each way

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3:05, Queen Mary Stakes, 5f, 2yo fillies.

Given the monster performance by Acapulco in last year’s renewal, we simply have to start with Lady Aurelia for Wesley Ward. Acapulco was physically head and shoulders above her rivals and would have won over any track against any 2yo filly on that day. The ground was perfect for her that day which won’t be the case this time around, and it is definitely worth taking both a market check and a look in the paddock before deciding whether to lump. I certainly couldn’t put anyone off backing her, but we will try and look elsewhere for value. One which catches the eye is ROLY POLY for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. This filly won smartly on her debut at Naas, before finishing 4th at the Curragh next time out on yielding / soft ground. Whilst that bare result doesn’t look strong, she had Caravaggio, Ambiguity and Mister Trader ahead of her, although the latter named two didn’t do the form much good yesterday. Mark Johnston’s runners – Camargue and Katrine – should go well, but in a trappy race I also like AL JOHRAH, whose sire Bated Breath was certainly not lacking in pace and she has form in France on this sort of ground.
Selection: ROLY POLY each way
Alternative: AL JOHRAH each way

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3:40, Duke of Cambridge Stakes, 1m, 4yo+ fillies and mares.

The penalty system for this race means that Miss Temple City carries 5lbs for her US Grade 1 win, whilst Devonshire and USHERETTE carry 3lbs each for their Group 2 victories at the Curragh and Newmarket respectively. It is Usherette who is of most interest, however, given that Newmarket win was a clear career best and she has only been beaten once in her 6 career starts to date. Being so lightly raced means she is still open to further progression, and under the watchful eye of the French master Andre Fabre she can take this for Godolphin. Godolphin are coming at this mob-handed, with Devonshire, the smart improver Always Smile and the excellent Lucida providing strong competition.
Selection: USHERETTE

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4:20, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, 1m2f, 4yo+.

This Group 1 feature of day two has unfortunately lost some of its lustre for this year’s renewal, with the withdrawal of Time Test due to the going. As a result, A Shin Hikari has been backed in to odds-on favouritism, and with the likely defection of The Grey Gatsby for similar reasons to Time Test we will probably have just five runners. If A Shin Hikari matches his Chantilly form, he should win in fine style, but Found is a consistent filly and if there are any chinks in A Shin Hikari’s armour, she will surely take advantage.
Selection: No bet.

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5:00, Royal Hunt Cup, 1m, 3yo+.

With 33 runners declared for this mile handicap, even with an expected number of NRs it’s still an incredibly difficult race to pick apart. The favourite is Convey, whom I’ve been a fan of since his debut win as a 2yo on the all weather at Kempton. It’s fair to say he didn’t live up to that early promise as a 3yo, but two promising seconds recently at York and Haydock behind Always Smile and Home Of The Brave respectively have given connections renewed hope. I’m not sure I want him on my side at single figures though, even with Ryan Moore on board. The first of two I tentatively like at double figures are DONNCHA, who was fifth behind Convey at York when slowly away and met trouble in running and has Tom Marquand claiming a valuable 3lbs. The second is MR OWEN, who has some very smart 3yo form in France including a 3rd in the French Guineas. Over the past 13 months he has contested four Group 1 or 2 races and won at Listed level, so even though he is fourth in the weights he might be able to translate that into a place.

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Selection: DONNCHA each way
Alternative: MR OWEN each way

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5:35, Sandringham Handicap, 1m 3yo fillies.

Another huge field and another tough one to unravel, including six last time out winners who could be open to further improvement. They include the lightly-raced favourite Persuasive, who has won all three of her starts for John Gosden, including the last twice under today’s jockey Frankie Dettori. She has posted successive RPRs of 81, 91 and 96 and will take some beating if she improves again. Anamba, Czabo and Aljuljalah all make appeal, as does Mix and Mingle who was a creditable 7th in the 1000 Guineas. However, I fancy the Queen to notch a Royal winner in the form of either DIPLOMA or MAKE FAST. Diploma won last time out at York over an extended 10 furlongs, and that stamina could prove vital if there are further showers during the afternoon’s racing. She must be respected for Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore. Conversely, Make Fast has never raced over a mile, but she was second in a Listed race last year at Newbury on soft ground and was second on Oaks day at Epsom when it was certainly sticky underfoot. She’s a decent-priced alternative for Andrew Balding and David Probert.
Selection: DIPLOMA each way
Alternative: MAKE FAST each way

Back tomorrow,

Derek Potter

Declan O’Donoghue

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Mixed feelings about the Melbourne Cup result I must admit.

Max Dynamite and Frankie Dettori carried some of my hard earned, both ante-post and on the night.

Yet it was a heart warming story to see Michelle Payne boot home the locally trained 100/1 chance Prince Of Penzance.

As horse and rider came in to be greeted by groom Michelle’s brother Stevie who has down syndrome, it seemed that racing had yet again produced a magical story that even
the Walt Disney team would not dare script.

Fitting too, as Aussie racing – and the Melbourne scene in particular – badly needed a fairytale, and we’ll return to that in a moment.

For the second week in a row in a big race it was a decidedly less than an inspiring ride from Frankie Dettori, again waiting for a gap that didn’t appear.

Yet again though those scribes who were doing cartwheels of joy at his Arc performance had suddenly gone to ground.

Jockeys, like the rest of us, regularly make mistakes but it would be nice to think that all get equal treatment from the racing media but that clearly isn’t so.

Ryan Moore brought race riding to a new level at Royal Ascot last June yet his Ascot Gold Cup effort on Kingfisher was deplorable.

To his eternal credit he made no bones about that himself, yet the TV and print media in the main simply looked the other way.

Now can you imagine the inquisition if Joseph O’Brien was the pilot in question?

Back to the goings on in Melbourne.

About a week before the big race and just a few miles away from the track at Flemington, six semi automatic rifle shots were fired through the front door of Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey’s home.

It may sound like something from a Dick Francis best seller but this all too real and every bit as sinister as it seems.

Luckily Bailey, his wife and children were out the back at the time and escaped uninjured.

Police are treating the matter very seriously and have moved the family to temporary accommodation elsewhere as investigations continue.

A defiant Bailey said: “I was pretty angry – there is no need for that.”

“There are 900 trainers in Victoria, a lot of people are relying on us to make sure the place is run on a level playing field and we’ll keep doing that.”

“I’m not going to walk away from that, the show must go on.”

A week before Racing Victoria head of integrity Dayle Brown reported to police he saw a “bikie wearing a skull bandanna” lurking near his house.

That there is a seedy and sinister side to the racing game Down Under is well proven.

A few years back Damien Oliver, who twice rode the winner of the Melbourne Cup, was banned for ten months for having a €10,000 dollar bet on the winning horse in a race where he was riding something else.

By far the biggest problems to surface so far however have been doping related.

And the authorities must carry their share of blame here as it was only last year that a ban on the use of anabolic steroids on horses out of training came was enforced.

Over 30 trainers are under investigation for serious doping offences including Black Caviar’s handler Peter Moody.

Moody has hit out over his treatment by officials and threatened to “throw his license across the table” and quit the sport.

Sensationally, he accused Bailey, Brown and another RV official Dr Brian Stewart of trying to employ a man to work as an informant in his stables.

He faces a three year ban if found guilty of doping charges he faces.

One trainer has already been banned for 15 years.

Perhaps we shouldn’t get too sniffy about things on this side of the world, particularly in light of the Philip Fenton case.

And while we know that the racing authorities on both sides of the Irish Sea are unrelenting in cracking down on steroids, can we feel sure that EPO in some form or other is not in use?

Golden Horn has been outstanding, and lost nothing in Breeders Cup defeat to super filly Found.

The ground was blamed and possibly played a part, though a long season possibly took it’s toll too.

One word of caution for next season though should Found stay in training as hopefully she will.

Long experience has thought me that when it comes to odds Ladbrokes are often the shrewdest of the shrewd.

So it was slightly surprising to read Richard Wilmot’s comments that “granted cut in the ground” Found would be a major player in the Arc next Autumn.

While the Ballydoyle filly probably handles a sticky surface better than Golden Horn, make no mistake she loves it fast too.

Her debut win at The Curragh was on a very quick surface, though she won the Royal Whip there this year on sticky ground so she is certainly versatile that way.

Horse of the Year though has to be American Pharoah.

His front running Breeders Cup Classic win was truly awesome and he is the first Grand Slam winner, adding the Classic to the so often tantalisingly elusive Triple Crown.

And wouldn’t you just know it, Coolmore had long ago snapped him up for stud duties, and he’s currently settling in at their Ashford Stud, deep in the bluegrass heartlands of Kentucky.

There he’ll join a roster which includes Giant’s Causeway, Scat Daddy, Little Mo, Declaration Of War and Verrazano.

Mind you they have form in picking out potential stallions before they hit stellar heights on the track.

They had Montjeu booked before he won the Irish Derby, long before the Arc and the King George the following year, and he didn’t turn out too bad.

Back next Saturday.

Declan O’Donoghue

Irish Racing Club – CLICK HERE For Details!

The Gambling Don

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So Goodwood is over for another year and we said goodbye to one veteran Richard Hughes which was correct as he has been a shadow of his former self this year.

The meeting will be remembered as the year another old boy Frankie Dettori came right back to his best as he romped away with the top jockeys title. I’m no fan of the pretend charachter we see on tv but when focused like this he is a brilliant horseman.

Goodwood is like Chester and Epsom in that it finds the bad jockeys out very quickly and this year many racegoers seemed to want to point this out to Jim Crowley whose ride on the Corsican will not be going in his scrapbook. Crowley several times this week has ended up in the coffin on the inside waiting for gaps that never come. The usual genteel atmosphere at Goodwood was shattered as he gave the Corsican a horror ride leading to language that would even shock Andy Bell and his pals at whatever ghastly pub they drink in.

Crowley looked like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him and to be fair anyone who had backed the Corsican would have settled for that too. Getting caught on the inside at Goodwood for a senior jockey is not acceptable in a small field it’s unforgivable.

To be fair to Goodwood everything was perfect from the ground to the facilities and the atmosphere is much more pleasant than Ascot in the Dons opinion. The highlight of a solid week for me was Malabar scooting clear for the in form Channon team.

York is now on the horizon, a chance to meet up with friends and people you respect and Simon Holden will be there and the Don aims to bang in many more big price winners like Malabar.

The show goes on and having mentioned Chester The Don has a big priced selection for us on the Roodeye. In the 3.50 William Hill go 14/1 about Clockmaker a horse who only seems to come to life at this track. If we just look at his Chester form he is bang there and has a lovely draw. Go each way and lets hope it’s the right time to back Clockmaker (forgive me that one its been a long week).

Have a great Sunday and remember…

Trust in the Don he will always be BetFans number one.

Back next Sunday.

The Gambling Don

http://go.betfan.com/1000/119

Goodwood Preview – Day Three

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Firstly, we can’t comment on any racing without paying tribute to Sir Peter O’Sullevan. A voice – indeed the voice – that will never be forgotten by anybody who watched or listened to this great sport. Secondly, he loved his racing so let’s get on to today’s action.

Due to time restrictions today’s preview is rather limited, and we’ve only got time for a fuller analysis of the two Group 2 races on the card. As ever, we’ll start with a quick recap of yesterday’s results, which included a couple of nice 1-2s:

2:00 – William Of Orange 3rd @ 5/1;          Wordiness 7th
2:35 – Highland Reel 1st @ 7/4;                   Scottish 2nd @ 7/1
3:10 – Solow 1st @ 2/5;                                   Arod 2nd @ 6/1
3:45 – King Of Rooks 2nd @ Evs;                 Muhadathat 4th
4:20 – Silent Dreamer 7th;                             Alamode 1st @ 7/1
4:55 – Imshivalla 7th;                                      Hala Madrid 6th
5:25 – Mutawathea 2nd;                                 Assault On Rome IF SEEN PLEASE CONTACT DEREK POTTER

2:35 – Group 2, 6f, 2yo. Another big group race, and another high-profile non-runner for Ballydoyle. Given how few hard-luck stories there have been so far at Goodwood, and no complaints about the ground, and given the fact Highland Reel dug in so well yesterday to win his race, it is a shame not to see Air Force Blue but it does open the door for others.

Shalaa, for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori in the colours of Al Shaqab racing, showed virtually no promise whatsoever on his debut, when he trailed in last of 8, but two wins (including a Group race last time out) since then have seen him propelled to short-price favouritism here. Steady Pace for Godolphin and The Doyler will certainly pose a threat, as will the runner for the other stable jockey William Buick in the form of Log Out Island. It is fair to say Log Out Island’s form wasn’t boosted by King Of Rooks yesterday, regardless of whether you believe Frankie gave him a good ride or not.

Kachy was a deserved winner and so my eyes are turned elsewhere, and on to Tasleet. Hamdan Al Maktoum owns two in this race, the other being Elronaq, and it is Tasleet whom Paul Hanagan has chosen to ride. Winner of his last two races, and for a fine trainer in William Haggas, Tasleet looks open to improvement and one I am happy to side with.

Adventurous and Riflescope are the Mark Johnston entries, and in spite of Joe Fanning riding Adventurous, it is Riflescope who catches the eye if he handles the step back up to 6f. He previously flopped at the trip but to me has the class to overcome that, and particularly as the race was over 2 months ago – a long time in the career of a Mark Johnston horse.

To summarise, Shalaa is a hot favourite and I can certainly see him winning – but my selections will hopefully provide some value and a run for the money.
Selection: TASLEET
Alternative: RIFLESCOPE

3:10 – Group 2, 2m, 3yo+. The obvious place to start here is with the top weight Trip To Paris. This is a horse who started out the season in handicap company and progressed to win an Ascot Gold Cup whilst seemingly going unnoticed by the punters and bookmakers alike, with his last three victories coming at 8/1, 10/1 and 12/1.

That is not the case today, however, and whilst I am a huge admirer of this gelding, he may find carrying top weight in another gruelling test of stamina just one step too far. I would love to see him win, but I won’t be selecting him for today’s pick. Next up is a horse I put in a strong word for in the Northumberland Plate, and Quest For More certainly delivered there.

He is the first runner of the week for the Beckhampton stable under Roger Charlton’s always excellent stewardship, and if he continues to improve like he suggests he will then he will surely come close. Big Orange for Michael Bell and Jamie Spencer has a great chance based on his winning form, but hasn’t tried this trip since an unsuccessful attempt on heavy ground in October 2014. If he stays then his price will look small, but he’s also one I’m willing to pass over. When Blue Wave won on the first day of Goodwood for the Mark Johnston team, his wife said that Oriental Fox would be the best result of the week for them – and with his marathon victory at Ascot in the bag you know this horse will stay all day, and probably sleep on the couch just to make sure.

Another runner for the Johnston team that catches the eye at a ridiculously low weight is Vive Ma Fille, who runs as a 3yo with 18lbs in hand on most of the field. Silvestre De Sousa could well give her a smart run to outrun her price. Whilst Scotland and Pallasator both pose threats, the final word goes to Simenon for Willie Mullins and Frankie Dettori. 4th to Trip To Paris in the Ascot Gold Cup, I fancy him to turn the tables here and take the honours. He has been lightly raced this past calendar year and that could be the key advantage for him here.
Selection: SIMENON
Alternative: QUEST FOR MORE

Kevan Minter The Colonel

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After a shakey start on Tuesday we hit the bookies at night with three nice winners, Cyflymder 4/1 getting up in the shadow of the post thanks to a great ride from Richard Hughes, Lolla Princess 6/4 (max bet) for Richard Hannon and Henri Parry Morgan 5/2 (max bet) romping in at Southwell giving us eleven points profit on the day.

Frankie Dettori lit up the Epsom Downs winner’s enclosure with his trademark ‘flying dismount’ after taking the Investec Derby on the John Gosden-trained 13/8 favourite (max bet), Golden Horn at Epsom last Saturday. It was the 44-year-old’s second victory in the premier Classic, eight years after he first won it on Authorized in 2007, and his 20th Investec Derby ride.

He said: “It’s unbelievable. I still can’t believe that I have won the Derby again. What a feeling, what a feeling! Fantastic!”

“I knew this was a good horse, it was up to me to mess it up and everything went right.”

“It was brilliant, the horse was magnificent. I was just a passenger. He flew into the last bit, it was good.”

“He hit a flat spot and I thought “my God, never mind staying, I can’t get him going!” and then, once he found top gear, that was it, he was off. It was a brilliant feeling and I had to pinch myself, I couldn’t believe it.”

Dettori joked: “I was about to say this is better than sex but my wife won’t like it! But it’s just as good.”

He added: “When you are younger you do it, you don’t really appreciate the full force of the Derby. It’s a huge race and you don’t understand the meaning of the pressure, the importance – it means a lot.”

“The reassurance I got just before the race was from Lester [Piggott], who said, ‘I wish I was on your horse’. I thought, if he says that, it means I am on the right lines.”

“I’ve had a colourful life and I’m not finished yet.”

“I’m less nervous these days [before the race] but I’m more aware of the importance of the Derby, and I knew it was down to me not to mess it up.”

“I have to go to Goodwood tomorrow, but I’ll ask my boss if he’ll let me off!”

“John [Gosden] was my father figure 20 years ago and he gave me lots of advice; now he is more of a friend. I won the Derby without him and he won the Derby without me, and finally after 20 years we have done it together which is really, really special and it means a lot.” Frankie told the Racing Post that winning his second Derby was better than his Magnificent Seven at Ascot and that he pledged to carry on riding until he is 50.

Qualify was a shock 50/1 winner of the Oaks for a stunned Aidan O’Brien beating the 5/2 favourite, the last 50/1 winner of the Oaks was Jet Ski Lady back in 1991.

The 2.4 million guineas yearling Hydrogen (yet to win a race) has moved to Olly Stevens yard from Peter Chapple-Hyam they are hoping a change from Newmarket might help with the colt.

Channel 4 racing reported a drop in viewers this year attracting only around 45 per cent of the 3.3 million audience that tuned in to watch the BBC’s last Derby in 2012, despite Frankie Dettori riding it would not be a long price CH 4 dropping racing for a cookery program in the next few year’s.

The speedy Red Baron has been well backed this week (5/1 from 8/1 with Paddy Power) for the Scottish Sprint at Musselburgh on Saturday.

Twilight Son has been all the rage in the betting (7/2 from 9/2 with Boyles) for York over the weekend in the 6f 888sport charity sprint.

Yours in sport

Back Next Thursday.

Kevan Minter – The Colonel.

http://go.betfan.com/1000/315

The Gambling Don

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Today sees the Shergar Cup at Ascot an event I wouldn’t, cross the street to see never mind travel from Newmarket to Ascot. No matter how much it is rejigged the central idea of having a team game at horse racing is totally flawed in my opinion.

Also this year the big names have gone out of their way to get a doctors note in order to miss it. Frankie Dettori was overheard telling the organisers that he would love to be involved but a dog had ate his homework. You expect to not have heard of the rest of the world team but this year most people won’t have a clue who the home team is. Any way lets not waste any more time on this rubbish when there is a cracking card at Newmarket to get stuck into and for our Saturday Special we are waiting till the final race the two mile handicap.

This is the time of year when I am looking for an improving young horse who is ahead of the handicapper and we have a prime candidate in Argent Knight from the Willie Jarvis stable. Only three he has won twice already this season but there looks to be plenty of improvement in him. He toughed it out to win at Sandown last time over one mile six. The further they went the stronger he looked and the yard feel the step up to two miles will be right up his street. There are a lot of very exposed stayers in this who are tough and consistent but look in the grip of the handicapper to me. Paul Hanagan takes the ride and we need to be on each way @ 10/1 with Betvictor which looks huge to me.

So it’s Newmarket for the real racing and the 5.55 for Argent Knight to hopefully give us all a good night!

Back Next Saturday.

The Gambling Don
http://go.betfan.com/1000/119

Racings Twist And Turns At The Top

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After a 6 month exile and a career in televisions Big Brother, Frankie Dettori returned for the Epsom Festival earlier in June.

Yesterday racing circles were buzzing with the news that Frankie had been employed to ride as number one jockey to the Sheik Joaan Al Thani, who has several high class horses already in training around the world.

With group performer TORONADO and Olympic Glory trained by Richard Hannon Jnr. as well as Planteur trained by Marco Botti, who has gradually moved through the trainers rankings in recent seasons.

Dettori will be looking forward to teaming up with Nicholas Clement in France, who trains the talented Style Vendome. As things stand at the moment Richard Hughes will retain the ride aboard TORONADO in the Sussex Stakes.

Frankies record since returning to the saddle has hardly set the racing world alight. He has failed to win a race since winning aboard Goodwood Image on June the 14th.

Since that last victory Frankie has ridden 47 losers, and in that time he has managed only 7 places!!!

With stats like that Frankie will certainly need to step up his game. We all know how much quality the fella has in the saddle, but at 42 yrs of age I cannot see him returning to those magic moments which saw him go through the racecard riding a magical 7 winners. A feat unlikely to ever be repeated again (well not in my lifetime).

I believe Frankie Dettori had fallen out of love with the game after the fatal aircrash in which the pilot lost his life and Frankie Dettori, along with Ray Cochrane, escaped with minor injuries. Afterwards Frankie just seemed a different jockey.

Lets hope Frankie can return to those magical moments again and rule supreme, unfortunately people in this sport have short memories. A true family man who still has that cheeky grin and looks sure to reign supreme once more before hanging up his boots. Good luck Frankie, it’s time to shut the critics up and start banging in the winners again.

Frankie will be returning to the racetrack on Wednesday July 3rd looking through the card has couple live chances!

THE FORM GUY.