- COUNTDOWN TO THE CLASSICS!
- It's a fairly quiet
time for racing at the moment in the run-up to the Derby, although
there was a Group 1 race at Newbury over the weekend.
The Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes was won by French raider Keltos,
a heavily supported 9/1 chance ridden by Olivier Peslier.
He beat off the strong challenge of 5/6 favourite Noverre for
the all powerful Godolphin team, to win by three-and-a-half lengths.
Olden Times was third for John Dunlop and No Excuse Needed
fourth home for Sir Michael Stoute. And on the subject
of the Derby, trainer Mark Johnston has said that they will leave
until the last minute the decision on whether to supplement easy
Lingfield winner Bandari for the race, as it carries a cost of £90,000.
He has spoken with the colts owner Abdullah Al-Rostamani and
they have decided to wait until Saturday week, when they will know
more about the opposition.
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- Top Irish jockey
Mick Kinane will be making a late decision of his own for the Derby,
leaving it until the last minute before commiting himself to either
High Chaparral or Hawk Wing. The
two favourites, both trained by Aidan O'Brien would each present
Kinane with a good chance of following up last year's win on Galileo,
although many a breeding anorak would say that 2000 Guineas runner-up
Hawk Wing will not stay a mile-and-a-half.
However, while Woodman's progeny have not got a scintillating
strike-rate over this distance, he still gets a handful every year who
can win over 1m4f, so if any son of Woodman can score over the trip
then this beast can.
He is a massive individual, and would seem to want further
anyway, so to me it's not in doubt and I will stick with class,
although if Bandari runs then it's going to make things very
interesting.
-
- Bandari was not
Mark Johnston's only Derby candidate of course, however Dante seventh
Sir George Turner will now miss the classic, as it will cost a further
£11,000 to keep him in the race, and he is far from guaranteed to
make the frame. He will
head to Royal Ascot now. There
is still one more very intereting contender left to see, in the last
of the recognised trials on Tuesday.
Dubai Destination, conquerer of subsequent 2000 Guineas winner
Rock Of Gibraltar last year, runs in the Listed Predominate Stakes at
Goodwood. Of course there
are big questions over whether he will stay, so his chances at Epsom
are best judged after his Goodwood run.
He has Highdown and Playapart to beat.
-
- Here is a list of
the best available prices at the time of writing for the Vodafone
Derby:
- 9/4 High Chaparral,
Hawk Wing, 9/2 Bandari, 14 Naheef, 20 Moon Ballad, 25 Al Moulatham, 25
Sorcerous, Dubai Destination, 33 Balakheri, Tholjanah, 40 bar
- A day earlier in
the Vodafone Oaks I very much like the chances at the moment of Esloob,
trained by Marcus Tregoning.
-
- Here
is how they bet:-
-
- 3 Islington, 7
Quarter Moon, Kazzia, 10 Esloob, 14 Spinnette, Protectress, 16 Shadow
Dancing, 18 Snowfire, 20 bar
- As for this
weekends classics, it’s the turn of the Irish to hold their 1000 and
2000 Guineas, and after careful consideration I have come to the same
conclusion I came to before our classics. King Of Happiness did not run his race at Newmarket last time
behind Rock Of Gibraltar, and had sweated up badly in the paddock
beforehand. For
everything that didn’t go his way that day, he was still only beaten
6 lengths and that was running on the wrong side of the track, he may
surprise a few if turning up at the Curragh on Saturday.
Also, my original 1000 Guineas fancy Queens Logic may run in
the Irish version on Sunday, having been denied her chance at HQ due
to being found lame the morning before the race.
She can certainly make amends this Sunday and confirm her early
promise.
- A
horse mentioned twice in earlier articles is John Dunlop's sprinter
Invincible Spirit, as I am very keen on him and I believe he can win a
Group 1 this year. He
managed to win the Duke Of York Stakes last week, even burdoned with
my money!
-
- He went off a
heavily backed 3/1 favourite and tracked the leaders on the near side
before producing a good turn of foot under Mick Kinane to take the
race from Mugharreb. He is certainly one to watch at Royal Ascot in the Golden
Jubilee Stakes. If you
have any questions or would like to raise a subject with me, please
contact me at:-
-
- Article by Gary Christie.
-
- To
go back to the Top
of the page.
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- Formby
Arts Festival Concert Ticket Prices.
- Tickets
are selling fast so book now or be disappointed!
- Dark
red is are nearly sold out! Black sold out
for that part of viewing area.
- PERFORMANCE
|
- SEATS
|
- GRASS
|
- Swing
Shift Big Band
Saturday 6th July
|
- £5.00
|
- £4.00
|
- Humphrey
Lyttelton
Sunday 7th July
|
- £12.00
|
- £10.00
|
- Reckless
Monday 8th July
|
- £5.00
|
- £4.00
|
- Folk
in the Pinewoods
Tuesday 9th July
|
- £5.00
|
- £4.00
|
- Wind
Ensemble
Wednesday 10th July
|
- £5.00
|
- £4.00
|
- Sefton
Youth Brass Band
Thursday 11th July
|
- £5.00
|
- £4.00
|
- Pirates
of Penzance
Friday 12th July
|
- £5.00
|
- £4.00
|
- ABBA
UK
Saturday 13th July
|
- £8.00
|
- £7.00
|
- Formby
Hall Garden Party
Saturday 13th July
|
- Adult
ticket £10.00 - Family ticket TBA
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- Formby
Arts Festival 2002 ROLL OF HONOUR.
-
- This year's
festival in Formby is well underway now.
Sponsors of the festival so far are:-
- Southport
Reporter,
Formby Times, Alliance & Leicester,
Shorrocks Hill Country Club, In House, Mc Dougall's
Chemist, Formby Health Food Store, Boots, Bryrne's
& Son, Re-aqua (at Just Beauty), Delahunty,
Jonathan Ward, Maxwell Entwistle & Byrne, H.D.
Vince Ltd. Ekaton Ltd. Brough Butchers,
Alan Rumph & Co. Waterfields, Lloyds TSB,
Blackhouses, Trimmers, B.B. Lewis Ltd. AC Greeting
Cards, Colette Gunter Ltd. Animals in Need, Mr
Minit, Global Video, Derbyshires, Classic Lifts,
Fogarty's Carpets, Send-a-Card, Formby Timber,
Pride's Hairdressers, Act One, Tesco (Formby) & Formby-Online.
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