Tanya Stevenson
Frankel? It’s the Greyhound Derby semi-final!
19 May 2012
Today’s selections:
2.30 Newbury: SOHRAAB
3.55 Newmarket: BERNIE THE BOLT
5.40 Newmarket: SURAJ
All calm in the Newbury press room, all things considered. What a fabulous weekend of sport, cricket, football, rugby and Frankel! Shame Strong Suit doesn’t run, but I’m sure we’ll see him next at Royal Ascot. From out of nowhere there is a Derby trial at Newmarket in the Fairway Stakes, with Noble Mission up against Trust Worthy, Henry Candy’s runner Rugged Cross is still in the Derby also so the race is well worth watching out for. I would like to think Noble Mission might just have the speed whereas Trust Worthy will be a horse to grind out a finish.
Bernie The Bolt ran a tremendous race over two furlongs too short at Newmarket last time and the winner Ithoughtitwasover won yesterday which boosts the confidence.
Ready for a white knuckle ride? Well Sohraab is bound to provide the drama. He has to be covered up, has to come late and thrives in finding all the traffic problems imaginable. Good luck Robert Havlin. He should have won the race last year but for the daylight disappearing at a crucial point.
Suraj was a very easy winner at Doncaster last time and can only improve, the form of his debut run behind Model Pupil and Shantaram now reads well and he didn’t get a clear run, with Wrotham Heath and Zaina in the line-up it makes the price.
I haven’t gushed and flowed with superlatives for Frankel. What can I add? He should win today and probably will.
Tonight is Williamhill.com Greyhound Derby semi-finals at Wimbledon, defending champion Taylors Sky should have no problems qualifying for the final, but I do believe Westmead Adonis is a massive price tonight. His times are improving and he is trained by a master of the profession, Nicky Savva. As for the first semi-final I would love Judical Ruling and Razdazl Jayfkay to be two of the three that get through.
The biggest starting price of the Lockinge winner in the last ten years has been 9-1
Six of the last nine favourites have won
Ten of the last eleven winners of the Bet365 Mile at Sandown to run in the Lockinge have been beaten
Seven of the last ten Lockinge winners were aged four
Six of the last nine winners of the Lockinge were making their seasonal debut
Seven of the last ten winners of the Lockinge were beaten on their last start
Fourteen of the last seventeen winners of the Lockinge had won a Group One over a mile which leaves just Frankel and Excelebration
Frustratingly for punters the favourite has finished second for the last five years
The biggest starting price for the winner over the last ten years is 7-1
Eight of the last ten winners came from a single figure draw
Eight of the last ten winners finish no worse than third on their most recent start
All of the last ten winners had run at least three times prior to Newbury
Only qualifier Rewarded
Nine of the last ten favourites have been beaten
Nine of the last ten winners have been drawn stall 8 or lower
Six of the last seven winners carried 8-12 or more
Comments
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everyone is entitled to their own selection but in my honest opinion i think westmead adonis may aswell stay in the kennel i have a jack russell here which i think could go faster
Dennis Wardle | 3 days ago