Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Golden Horn, the horse which should win next month’s Derby but may not ever be entered in the race, appears to be named after an estuary in Istanbul (or is it Constantinople?). The Golden Horn joins the Bosphorus just before the Bosphorus meets the Sea Of Marmara, isolating a piece of land on which the old part of the city was built and forming a deep, natural harbour for whoever happened to have naval forces in the region over the centuries gone by.
It’s quite a clever name to give a colt whose parents were called Cape Cross and Fleche D’Or, the mother’s name being French for Golden Arrow. The Golden Arrow was the name given to a luxury boat train that used to run from London to Paris, where I suppose a passenger of substantial means might, in days gone by, have caught the Orient Express onwards to Istanbul (which is probably not what he would have called it).
You can see one of many fine paintings of the Golden Horn here.
I like my horses to be well named and finding all this out this morning has made me warm even more to Golden Horn, though you’d have to be pretty keen on him in any case, after what he did yesterday. It will be a terrible thing, from the perspective of a fan of British racing, if he does not run in the Derby because he is now the form standout for that race by about a million miles.
Apparently his owner, Mr Oppenheimer, who bred him, has always been convinced he’d be a 10-furlong horse who will not stay the Derby’s mile and a half. But these things are relative and, on yesterday’s evidence, he looks like staying that distance a darned sight faster than anything else that will go to Epsom. It is not a strong era for 12-furlong Flat horses, after all.
If he does go to Epsom, I should warn the more sensitive of you that there are likely to be some quite dodgy headlines in the days leading up to the Classic. This colt’s name may be derived from a romantic age of international travel but that will not stop certain tipsters from proclaiming that they are ‘Feeling Horny’ or similar.
His trainer, John Gosden, may have another good day on the Knavesmire thanks to Romsdal (3.15) in the Yorkshire Cup. Third as a 20-1 shot in last year’s Derby, this chestnut led into the final furlong of the St Leger before Kingston Hill went past and was only beaten a length and a quarter into second place that day.
He has been remade as a front-runner this season, tactics which could work out well in this small field, and had enough quality to win a 10-furlong Listed race on the all-weather on his reappearance. He was only third in the John Porter next time but was rallying at the finish and several horses have been beaten in that mile and a half race before winning this longer event.
He’s 9-4 to beat Brown Panther, who must shoulder a Group One penalty for having pinched the Irish Leger in the autumn.
It hasn’t been a great year yet for Sir Michael Stoute but I like his Top Tug (2.40) at 9-2 for the 12-furlong handicap. I fancied him for his Newmarket reappearance but he may have needed the run and the nine furlongs that day now looks on the sharp side for him.
The market has gone wild for the potential of Gosden’s Yasmeen in the fillies’ race and there is no doubting that the maiden she won last month is working out well. In fact, the third, Diamond Blaise (3.25) may win her own maiden at Newbury today at odds of 6-1 or thereby.
But Realtra (3.45) has got a lot more form in the book than Yasmeen, including a couple of fair runs behind Tiggy Wiggy last year. She outran expectations on her return to action a fortnight ago and the step up to this mile promises to bring out the best in her, so 13-2 seems value.
Another one stepping up in trip is Chilworth Bells (5.20), an improving son of Sixties Icon who could outrun odds of 12-1 in the closer.
At Aintree tonight, I’m interested in the 16-1 shot Masterofdeception (8.10). Yes, he’s coming back from a six-month absence but Dr Richard Newland has no problem getting horses fit for a reappearance and this is a horse for summer jumping, as soft ground appears to be a hindrance to him.
He won a couple of races, including over this course and distance, not long after joining the yard last year. He remains fairly treated and I would bet on him showing further progress, either tonight or some time soon. He has a hood and a tongue tie fitted, for the first time in each case.
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
Twin Appeal 11-1
Shifting Power 10-11
Divine Law 20-1
Tuesday
Heading To First 11-4
Altharoos 9-1
Golden Amber 11-2
Wednesday
Algar Lad 14-1
Glass Office 40-1
Udododontu 8-1
Thursday
Golden Horn 4-1
Alfred Hutchinson 20-1
Lycidas 8-1
And our leader is …
BearRides +23
… who was level for the week before picking Golden Horn AND Alfred Hutchinson. No one else had the 20-1 winner, though orso (+14.41) had Lycidas to move into second. Other good scores: Topspeedspurs +8.75, paragoncup +8.41, wiggy12 +6.50, Steve Ellis +5.66, RickyVillasBeard +3.75, James ‘Jimmy’ Runacres +3.50, factormax +3.50.
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.15 York, 4.20 York, 5.20 York.
This week’s prize is a pair of tickets to Sandown for Britain’s best evening at the races on Thursday 28 May, featuring the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, the Henry II and the National Stakes. If you don’t win, you can buy tickets here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -12.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day (TODAY).
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Click here for all the day’s racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
