Tag: Christophermarlowe

Lingfield Saturday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Derby and Oaks trials are coming thick and fast at present and Lingfield is the venue for tomorrow’s classic pointers.

The Derby Trial at 2.55 has attracted just five runners with John Gosden’s Christophermarlowe odds-on favourite. The son of Tapit won the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom by four lengths from Future Empire but that horse was left trailing at Chester this week. He was more workmanlike than scintillating that day and Frankie Dettori is likely to make a long run for home on this long striding colt.

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore won the Chester Vase with Hans Holbein and are represented here by Kilimanjaro, a colt by High Chaparral out of a Dalakhani mare. He looked very ordinary on his first two starts at Gowran but was an easy winner at Dundalk in April. He was fitted with a hood for the first time there and the grey is currently 50-1 for Epsom. Christophermarlowe is well ahead on official ratings and can provide Dettori with another big race winner.

Whatever the fate of Kilimanjaro, O’Brien and Moore will probably collect in the Oaks Trial at 2.20 with Wedding Vow. She has been beaten by smart fillies in her last two races. She failed by half a length to hold Zannda at Leopardstown and was then second to subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Legatissimo at Gowran Park. She is a beautifully-bred daughter of Galileo and nothing in this field has comparable form.

There are some more classy fillies on show in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at 4.05, a Group 3 race over seven furlongs. Lightning Thunder was runner-up in both the English and Irish Guineas last season for Olly Stevens but was a beaten favourite at Royal Ascot and Haydock. It is hard to explain her poor performances there but a lengthy break may have sweetened her up.

Kiyoshi is very smart on her day and Oisin Murphy rides her for Charles Hills while Al Thakhira is another with top class form in the book. The race will also provide some clues as to where the three-year-olds stand against their elders. New Providence ran a cracking race when just touched off in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket and has Ryan Moore in the saddle on Saturday.

Wedding Vow 2.20 @5-6 Paddy Power

Christophermarlowe 2.55 @4-7 Bet365

Lightning Thunder 4.05 @7-2 Betfair

Epsom Preview 22nd April

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Derby may seem long way off but Epsom gets its season under way on Wednesday with the Derby Trial meeting. A very competitive card also features the City And Suburban, the Great Metropolitan and a five-furlong dash.

It is the sprint which kicks things off at 2.10 and it may be worth siding with the in-form combination of Kevin Ryan and Jamie Spencer. They have already collected a couple of decent sprint prizes this spring and are represented by Piazon here. The four-year-old needs to improve but this doesn’t look the toughest event ever staged on the Surrey track.

The Great Metropolitan Handicap could go the way of Lungarno Palace who caught the eye when storming through into fourth behind Mica Mika at Doncaster last time. It is not the first time that the son of Henrythenavigator has hinted that a  longer trip might be in order. He also stayed on well when third at Newmarket over ten furlongs last October and he should go well for John Gallagher and Tom Queally.

There has not been a really credible Derby contender from the Trial since Daliapour in 1999 but Christophermarlowe could develop into a useful colt. He looked big and unfurnished last season but stuck on for two victories at Sandown and here at Epsom. If he has done well physically through the winter, he can see off Future Empire who is rated top on official figures.

The City And Suburban can got to the bottom weight, Collaboration, trained by Andrew Balding. I liked the way he quickened away at Windsor on his first start of the season and he can make the most of the 13lbs he receives from What About Carlo. That horse was a highly credible fourth in the Lincoln over a mile and should be much better suited by this trip.

Mezajy gets the vote in the maiden race at 4.30 after being tenderly ridden into third place at Nottingham by Graham Lee. The form has been let down since but he looked capable of stepping up on that effort, particularly if he is ridden more prominently this time. The danger is the Charles Hills-trained Mile High.

There are some promising three-year-olds in the final race including two in the Godolphin colours. New Strategy made all to win at Newmarket but I just prefer Deerfield who won his maiden at Thirsk. He was not really asked for maximum effort until the closing stages that day and could be the better value of the pair.

Piazon 2.10 @7-1 Paddy Power

Lungano Palace 2.45 @9-2 William Hill

Christophermarlowe 3.20 @10-11 Betfair

Collaboration 3.55 @13-2 Paddy Power

Mezajy 4.30 @5-4 Bet365

Deerfield 5.05 @11-2 William Hill