Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
Blue Riband Trial looks a tasty renewal
Tuesday’s Betfred Blue Riband Trial (2.10) gives a handful Derby hopefuls another chance to impress ahead of the main event on June 7 though it should be noted that the last winner of the trial to do the double was Blue Peter way back in 1939. More recently, third-placed Dee Ex Bee went a place better in the big one in 2018, Cracksman having won this en route to finishing a close third in the Derby the previous year.
The Gosdens have dominated the Blue Riband Trial in recent years, their seven winners since 2007 often achieved in tandem with Frankie Dettori who rode five of them.
Dettori spent many successful years as retained jockey to Godolphin – who also picked up this race with Charlie Appleby-trained runners in 2021 (Wirko) and 2022 (Nahanni) - and it’s the Godolphin/Gosden linkup which provides this year's favourite Devil’s Advocate who is one of four in the race entered in the Derby.
One of two runners in the field with the Timeform ‘Horse In Focus’ (HIF) flag, Devil’s Advocate confirmed his debut promise when scooting 7½ lengths clear of Kate O'Riley (who has won twice since, while the third and fourth have also shed their maiden tags) in a five-runner maiden at Chelmsford when last seen in October.
The other HIF is The Cursor who represents last year’s winning stable of Andrew Balding. A strong Frankel colt whose dam won the Prix de l'Opera, he should strip fitter for a recent neck second to Bedouin Prince in a maiden at Doncaster last time, where he stuck to the task after running green in front.
Both represent yards that have started the season extremely well and have the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag, as do those of Simon & Ed Crisford (Sea Scout) and Aidan O’Brien. The last-named won this race in 2019 with Cape Of Good Hope, and this year’s representative Trinity College is the likely pace angle in the race, his two wins having been achieved from the front. He’s out of the dual Guineas winner Hermosa but looks worth a try at this two-furlong longer trip.
With recent Ballysax third Tiberius Thunder and impressive Sandown winner Prince Of The Seas – who is very much bred to improve again now stepping up in trip and has an Irish Derby entry – completing the field along with Horris Hill fifth Mirabeau, this looks a good renewal.
Using all of the Timeform tools
Amongst the raft of data available on Timeform racecards, the list of past winners is often a useful tool when trying to build up a picture of a race.
For all Harry Eustace took the prize back to HQ last season, the Lilley Plummer Risks City & Suburban Handicap (2.45) isn’t a race that has been dominated by the big Newmarket yards, with recent successes for local Epsom trainer Jim Boyle (Bad Company in 2023) and Sussex-based David Menuisier (Soto Sizzler in 2022) following on from the 2021 success of Victory Charm for Hampshire trainer Ralph Beckett.
Menuisier has a 19% strike-rate at Epsom which is about an hour away from his Pulborough base and bids for further success with Horse In Focus City Of Delight who travelled powerfully when beating the re-opposing Magico by a neck at Doncaster last month. Very progressive at three, he could confirm the form despite being 2 lb worse off.
However, there are some interesting travelling parties, with Wales and the north of England represented by King’s Code and Stressfree respectively, both of whom have the HIF flag. The former stormed clear at Pontefract last time and looks well-treated under a 5 lb penalty, while Stressfree won over hurdles at Musselburgh in February and finished with running left when fourth behind City Of Delight last time.
Rathgar was fifth in the same race on Town Moor and could be the key to this race as the Timeform pace prediction is ‘very weak’ and the Jack Channon-trained gelding looks the most likely to go forward under David Probert having recorded an In-Play Symbol (IPS) of 1 or 2 on each of his four starts prior to that Doncaster reappearance. He has wins at Goodwood and Yarmouth to his name so clearly handles idiosyncratic tracks and with stamina a forte, wouldn’t benefit from a dawdle; he can win this from the front.
Mullins bandwagon to roll on at Fairyhouse?
The good news for horse racing editors is that neither Willie Mullins nor Dan Skelton has any runners in Britain on Tuesday – allowing for a chance to gather breath ahead of Sandown’s finale this weekend – but Mullins does have plenty of leading contenders on home soil as Fairyhouse’s Irish Grand National meeting draws to a conclusion with its rescheduled Saturday card.
Mullins has a profitable 28% strike-rate with his chasers at the track (+17.05 over the past five seasons) and Zenta holds leading claims in the BoyleSports Mares Handicap Chase at 2.50. A winner over hurdles here in 2023, she made it 2/2 at the track when winning over C&D when last seen in February and appears to have been saved for this assignment.
The market (and Timeform weight-adjusted-ratings) suggests that recent Wexford winner Majestic Force will be the biggest danger, however the best value may lie with the lightly-weighted Horse In Focus Ballybawn Belter. She would be a welcome winner for her trainer Liz Doyle whose last win came in early March but caught the eye of the Timeform race reporters when fourth at Leopardstown in late-December. She did well to finish as close as she did having been hampered by a faller and – with a ‘small p’ attached to her rating indicating improvement is expected - looks a very strong second string for owner JP McManus.
Elsewhere on the card, Fishery Lane, Road To Home and Inn At The Park give Mullins a strong three-pronged challenge in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Series Final (4.30), a race he won in 2021 with Lady Breffni, while Naas winner Kalix Delabarriere looks the pick of the Closutton resistance to Joyeuse in the RYBO Handicap Hurdle 35 minutes later. As is often the case, the Mullins bumper runner Hello Jean – who was an eye-catching third at Leopardstown on debut – looks the one they all have to beat in the Hire2K Irish EBF Mares Flat Race which rounds off the meeting at 5.35.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
