Aidan O’Brien resumed normal service at Chester this week by winning the two Derby trials. Whether or not we see Orchestra and/or Kingfisher at Epsom is open to question but he may not be finished yet.
It’s classic trial day at Lingfield (on turf!). The going is reported to be good so they must have missed most of the wet stuff and both the Oaks and Derby trials look worthy of close attention.
The aforementioned Master of Ballydoyle runs two in the Derby Trial. Mekong River has much the better form having finished fourth in a Group 1 last season. Joseph O’Brien partners him with Ryan Moore aboard the unbeaten Blue Hussar. Moore teamed up with Orchestra earlier in the week and could be on the right one here too.
The form of his maiden win may be nothing to write home about but the style of his victory suggests he is a smart colt in the making. He is a son of Montjeu out of a Woodman mare and found seven furlongs a bit on the sharp side last November. Once he got to the home straight he overhauled seven or eight horses. I suppose you could question whether or not he will handle Lingfield but I expect him to get the trip.
Of the other runners, I have respect Munjaz who is a big burly colt with a future. He won his maiden at a time when anything trained by John Gosden was winning but things are a bit more difficult now. Sudden Wonder’s Newmarket form is nothing out of the ordinary and Blue Hussar represents the value bet.
The Oaks Trial at 2.20 sees the return to action of Andrew Balding’s Casual Smile. I’ve always had a soft spot for this filly because she is by Sea The Stars out of Oaks winner Casual Look. I backed her mum at 14-1 for the Oaks and this filly could be just as useful. She ran well in all three starts at two and I have written at length about Taghrooda’s victory in the past. I rate that the best maiden of the season and the form looks pretty good now!
You never know what to expect from fillies, the Cheshire Oaks being a case in point earlier this week. Sir Michael Stoute runs Queen’s Prize in the Royal colours. She won on her debut on the all-weather but this marks a big step up in class. Ralph Beckett loves this race but I doubt even he knows which is the best of his three. Stick with Casual Smile to boost the Taghrooda form yet again.
Casual Smile 2.20 Lingfield 3-1 Bet365, BetVictor
Blue Hussar 2.55 Lingfield 6-1 William Hill
