It is Racing Post Trophy day at Doncaster on Saturday with Elm Park bidding to underline his claims for next season’s Derby.
The race, formerly known as the Futurity Stakes, has been a great guide to the classics over the years. The history of the race is littered with names like Reference Point, Authorized, Motivator, High Chaparral and Camelot. The last two on that list were trained by Aidan O’Brien who also saddled St Nicholas Abbey to win this race. He is represented by Jacobean and Aloft, neither of who appear to have sufficient form to win this.
Jacobean ran on to take second on his debut while Aloft won narrowly at Newmarket. Andrew Balding’s Elm Park has 9lbs in hand on official figures following his win in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes. Things did not go entirely smoothly that day as he was bumped leaving the stalls and looked in trouble two furlongs out. Perhaps the ground was a little quick for him and he has already shown that he can handle the soft when powering home at Newbury. Having tipped him at Salisbury and Newmarket, I cannot desert him here.
The going was very testing on Friday with some two-year-olds stopping to almost a walk in the early maiden races. Andrew Balding could also be on target in the sprint with our old friend Dungannon. He helped us out at Ascot last time when winning by a short-head in similar ground and he bids to win this race for the second year in succession.
He is only 1lb higher in the ratings and my main concern is his low draw. The runners may favour the stands side if the going becomes too testing and that would leave Dungannon on wrong side.
More favourably drawn is South African import Counter Ridge, trained by Marco Botti. She almost belied of odds of 66-1 when runner-up here last month and is a bit of an unknown quantity if you’re looking for a lively outsider.
I will also be looking for some each-way value in the 2.10 race. Portamento won an egg-and-spoon race last time and looks vulnerable. Nothing went right for Manofmanytalents last time out at York and he did well to finish as close as he did behind Mattmu. However, I am not entirely convinced that he will like this ground and will side with easy Nottingham winner Code Red.
Knife Point has solid form in the mile and a quarter handicap for Hugo Palmer. He finished fourth to shock winner Farquhar at Newmarket but it is anybody’s guess whether he will handle the ground. That won’t be a concern for Emerahldz who has won on heavy at Beverley for Richard Fahey.
Code Red 2.10 @11-1 BetVictor
Emerahldz 2.40 @8-1 Ladbrokes
Dungannon 3.15 @8-1 Ladbrokes
Elm Park 3.50 @15-8 Bet365
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
