Man On The Spot preview and best bets for Epsom on Derby and Oaks day
Resident tipster Man On The Spot looks ahead to Epsom on Saturday, where John Gosden is backed to win the Derby with a relative outsider.
1.50 - Racecard and FREE video form
Godolphin won this last year with top-rated juvenile Pinatubo and Modern News also has excellent credentials having finished fifth in the Chesham Stakes after winning over this trip at Newmarket. Twaasol defied market expectations to make a winning start at Windsor and there should be plenty more to come but Mark Johnston will be hopeful that MUTAZAWWED can give him a sixth win in this. The Lingfield winner will need to take a big step forward but has untapped potential and has been chosen from three stable entries at the four-day stage. Inhaler is no slouch but, like newcomer Calcutta Cup, is possibly up against it in this.
2.25 - Racecard and FREE video form
Daarik was a disappointment when a well-backed favourite for the Buckingham Palace Handicap at Ascot and has now run poorly twice on Turf. Shine So Bright won a Group 2 at York last season but efforts since have left a bit to be desired. Vale Of Kent makes more appeal as he is better than he showed in last month Criterion at Newmarket and holds Oh This Is Us on an earlier run at HQ. SAFE VOYAGE (NAP) is generally thought best on soft ground but he went close in a Curragh Group 2 on quicker going last season. Only beaten a neck at Haydock on his return to action, he deserves to get his head back in front.
3.00 - Racecard and FREE video form
A mile would have been too short for Sucellus at Ascot and the former Gosden inmate is of interest in this. Certain Lad was running well in Dubai at the start of the year but Newmarket scorer Desert Icon looks vulnerable under a penalty given he seems best in small fields. Data Protection won the consolation Cambridgeshire last season and should be approaching peak fitness after a couple of runs. The return to a longer trip is also in his favour while You're Hired ended a long losing run last month. Tinandali and Johnny Drama could also figure but Caradoc may be too high in the weights. IRONCLAD has been gelded since a beaten favourite at Kempton last August. He’s back over his best trip today on ground that will suit so gets the nod.
3.40 - Racecard and FREE video form
Frankie gave Frankly Darling a superb ride in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and she should again beat the third Passion and fourth Bharani Star. The Italian has ridden the winner of this in two of the last three years and is bidding for sixth success in total but his mount got first run on runner-up Ennistymon, who should get closer here. Her stablemate LOVE will be a tough nut to crack, however. The impressive 1000 Guineas winner has the potential to be even better over 1m4f on breeding and is the class act. Queen Daenerys’ second in the Pretty Polly hasn’t worked out but stable companion Gold Wand remains unexposed and beat a well-regarded type at Newbury with something to spare.
4.15 - Racecard and FREE video form
Cloak Of Spirits was still probably feeling the effects of a cracking run in the 1000 Guineas when only fifth in the Coronation Stakes two weeks ago. However, she holds Summer Romance and Rose Of Kildare on her run at Newmarket and may get her own way out in front eased in grade today. French import Love And Thunder won well at Newbury on her first start for John Gosden while Onassis won the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot but the interesting one is FOORAAT. Unbeaten on the all-weather, she cruised to victory over this trip at Chelmsford last month and could be anything.
4.55 - Racecard and FREE video form
Following the defection of Armory, Aidan O’Brien has been left with just the six runners as he bids to win this famous colts’ classic for a record eighth time. Ryan Moore keeps faith with Mogul even though the Galileo colt was only fourth behind Pyledriver and Mohican Heights when odds-on for the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot. His odds have contracted as a result but Ballydoyle’s number one rider has got it wrong in recent years. Padraig Beggy, an infrequent visitor to these shores, steered Wings Of Eagles to victory in 2017 and partners Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Vatican City, who is bred in the purple but isn’t guaranteed to stay 1m4f. Seamie Heffernan, successful last year on Anthony Van Dyke, gets the leg up on Russian Emperor, who stayed on strongly to land the Hampton Court at Ascot. However, a third race in a short space of time will test his mettle. English King won the Derby Trial at Lingfield so has to be of interest, though may not have been done any favours by the draw and looks a false price with Dettori on board. Kameko won the 2000 Guineas and is a proven Group 1 performer but may have stamina limitations over this trip, though has beaten a number of these in races up to a mile. Max Vega could go well at bigger odds if forgiven his Kempton run but there could be some value is supporting the once-raced WORTHILY. Not many win a Derby with so little experience but John Gosden is not one to tilt at windmills and his US-bred colt has a stamina-packed pedigree being closely related to St Leger winner Lucarno among others. He only had to be pushed out to trounce a subsequent winner on his debut at Newbury and has worked well since so looks a high-class prospect.
5.35 - Racecard and FREE video form
CORAZON ESPINADO beat Hateya and Alemaratalyoum in this last year and, though the latter is arguably the pick of that trio at the weights today, Simon Dow’s charge can continue his love affair with this track by getting back to winning ways after a good run at Lingfield four weeks ago. Markazi looked to be coming to hand at Ayr and is a danger on his victory at that track in the autumn with Tom Ward’s pair, Dirty Rascal and the hat-trick seeking Tintoretto, are others for the shortlist. Muntadab has been knocking on the door but Dream Today hasn’t won in this country since his debut as a two-year-old. Count Otto is also on a long losing run but is a previous course and distance winner.
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