Won 15/2. 20/1 for the Derby from 50s He has a tremendous stride which would stand him in good stead up the final hill, but not sure how he would handle Tattenham Corner and down the hill bit. Maybe the Irish Derby would suit better?
Just read that the race will start at 1.30 this year due to the FA Cup final. Should at least be fewer drunks at the off.
absolute disgrace. beginning of the end for this race in my opinion. first of all the FA Cup final and the Derby should NEVER be held on the same day. secondly whilst I agree that the FA Cup final should be held at 3pm as is now the case this year, to then move the Derby to 1.30pm is ridiculous. this is only because ITV hold the rights to both events., but it will destroy the traditional Derby day atmosphere if the race is all done by 1.35pm. fuming
If the BHA had any guts they'd discontinue the ITV franchise and offer it back to Ch4 or BBC. ITV have numerous channels and could have had the Derby at its normal time. A clash with the FA Cup Final hardly matters, though I must ask why a game that used to be played the last week in April or early May is this year being played in June. Yes I know about the World Cup, but the Cup Final has been played before the end of the season on numerous occasions. They've done the Derby down. Other countries like the USA or Australia would be wondering what we really value in this country. Put it back on Wednesday.
My 2 against the field right now would be Royal Scotsman and Canberra Legend. I suspect the former will go straight to Epsom after running a nice trial in the Guineas yesterday (far too free early on his seasonal debut, will need to settle better at Epsom) and the latter to the Dante.
Apart from the new fav, I think I'll be looking at those at 33/1 or more. Hopefully one of these will come to the fore before the Derby
I can't see Royal Scotsman getting the trip and a more likely target is the St. James Palace at RA. His sire Gleneagles was a certain 7-8f horse, so although by Galileo you'd be looking for some stamina on the dam's side. And I just can't see it. She's by Pivotal, her dam is by Gone West and granddam is by Danzig. Surely that's a miler's pedigree? I've got more time for Canberra Legend though there's again some concern with the dam's side. The sire Australia would suggest he'd stay. On the dam's side you have Fastnet Rock (a son of Danehill), then Tagula (mostly known for fast horses: best horse Canford Cliffs) and then Barathea (though by Sadler's Wells very much a miler). A positive is that the Camelot half-brother Youth Spirit won the Chester Vase. I'm not convinced that 12f will be ideal for him and he may be more of a 10f horse. The horse the bookies are pushing is Military Order who by Frankel, out of a Dubawi mare from the Stowell Hill Stud Billesdon Brook family, will probably get the trip. What has he done so far though?
