In a fantastic weekend of racing around the world, all eyes in Europe at least will be on Epsom for the blue riband 3yo classics. But you'll have to wait a bit for those previews, first up it's the first handicap of the meeting, the 1435, as previewed by regular contributor Chris Day, @chrisday100.
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Investec Wealth and Investment Stakes
1435 local, 2335 AEST
£50k, 1m2f, Class 2
The Investec Derby Meeting kicks off on Friday and, whilst the big races have been previewed everywhere, the value for regular punters probably lies elsewhere and the 2.35 race, The Investec Wealth & Investment Stakes, run over 10 furlongs, is just the type of race where it is possible to gain an edge by way of a bit of our own study.
As is usual in these big handicaps for older horse, Mark Johnston appears to hold a strong hand. His highest rated runner is Fire Fighting, who won The Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar last time out. He’d earlier run very well in third over course and distance behind the very well handicapped Collaboration and ought to run his race. Whether he finds something better handicapped after a 6lb rise is debatable and he looks a cert to be there inside the final furlong.
His next runner, Master Of Finance has been very consistent all spring, winning on his reappearance at Pontefract, finishing third at Chester and then putting up his best performance when second to a big Gosden improver who’s bound for Group races at York last time. Another who must run his race.
Stable jockey, Joe Fanning, though, takes the ride on Sennockian Star, steadily falling down the handicap, 7lbs lower than when winning at Goodwood last year and a winner over course and distance from a 2lb lower mark last April. Everything points to him going very close from a decent middle draw.
David O’Meara has proven on many occasions that he can improve other people's horses out of all recognition but top weight Fattsota does appear to have his hands full here, 7lbs higher than when getting the run of the race at Ripon and he’ll probably need to be a Group 2 horse to win this. Nothing in his form says he is.
Tres Coronas, from the David Barron stable, has run well here before and his run at Chester from a 4lb higher mark behind Collaboration indicates that his mark is not too problematic but he would surely benefit from slower ground and may have to wait until the Autumn to get his preferred conditions.
What About Carlo, won over course and distance at this meeting last year but has disappointed a couple of times this Spring under quicker conditions and may again find the ground too lively, Nancy From Nairobi is knocking at the door and won’t mind the ground and is weighted to turn Lingfield form around with Burano, but he’s a horse of talent who I think could go well after finally getting his head in front, Dance And Dance and Spirit Of The Law have surely had their chances and Andrew Balding’s Elbereth has to run from 5lbs out of the handicap.
The one I like, at around the 10-1 mark, though, is William Haggas’ Seagull Star, who has run well fresh as a 2 year old and 3 year old and ought to be able to win from a mark of 93 when you consider the horses he has been running well against. Considered a possible classic contender last Spring, his debut third behind two horses now rated well over 100 reads well and he followed that with a fourth in The Chester Vase and tailed off last in The King Edward V11 Stakes at Royal Ascot when something was clearly amiss. I note that he has an entry in The Northumberland Plate so might need further but ought to have more improvement than most in this field and could prove a blot on the handicap here.
-----------------------
Investec Wealth and Investment Stakes
1435 local, 2335 AEST
£50k, 1m2f, Class 2
The Investec Derby Meeting kicks off on Friday and, whilst the big races have been previewed everywhere, the value for regular punters probably lies elsewhere and the 2.35 race, The Investec Wealth & Investment Stakes, run over 10 furlongs, is just the type of race where it is possible to gain an edge by way of a bit of our own study.
As is usual in these big handicaps for older horse, Mark Johnston appears to hold a strong hand. His highest rated runner is Fire Fighting, who won The Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar last time out. He’d earlier run very well in third over course and distance behind the very well handicapped Collaboration and ought to run his race. Whether he finds something better handicapped after a 6lb rise is debatable and he looks a cert to be there inside the final furlong.
His next runner, Master Of Finance has been very consistent all spring, winning on his reappearance at Pontefract, finishing third at Chester and then putting up his best performance when second to a big Gosden improver who’s bound for Group races at York last time. Another who must run his race.
Stable jockey, Joe Fanning, though, takes the ride on Sennockian Star, steadily falling down the handicap, 7lbs lower than when winning at Goodwood last year and a winner over course and distance from a 2lb lower mark last April. Everything points to him going very close from a decent middle draw.
David O’Meara has proven on many occasions that he can improve other people's horses out of all recognition but top weight Fattsota does appear to have his hands full here, 7lbs higher than when getting the run of the race at Ripon and he’ll probably need to be a Group 2 horse to win this. Nothing in his form says he is.
Tres Coronas, from the David Barron stable, has run well here before and his run at Chester from a 4lb higher mark behind Collaboration indicates that his mark is not too problematic but he would surely benefit from slower ground and may have to wait until the Autumn to get his preferred conditions.
What About Carlo, won over course and distance at this meeting last year but has disappointed a couple of times this Spring under quicker conditions and may again find the ground too lively, Nancy From Nairobi is knocking at the door and won’t mind the ground and is weighted to turn Lingfield form around with Burano, but he’s a horse of talent who I think could go well after finally getting his head in front, Dance And Dance and Spirit Of The Law have surely had their chances and Andrew Balding’s Elbereth has to run from 5lbs out of the handicap.
The one I like, at around the 10-1 mark, though, is William Haggas’ Seagull Star, who has run well fresh as a 2 year old and 3 year old and ought to be able to win from a mark of 93 when you consider the horses he has been running well against. Considered a possible classic contender last Spring, his debut third behind two horses now rated well over 100 reads well and he followed that with a fourth in The Chester Vase and tailed off last in The King Edward V11 Stakes at Royal Ascot when something was clearly amiss. I note that he has an entry in The Northumberland Plate so might need further but ought to have more improvement than most in this field and could prove a blot on the handicap here.
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