Friday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
So we have a new favourite for the Derby and, while I share your suspicions about considering a race more than 10 months in advance, Douglas Macarthur certainly does seem the type who will still be in consideration by the time of the spring trials. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, he made all in a Leopardstown maiden over a mile last night, winning handsomely and unchallenged.
It didn’t look the most hotly contested maiden but it was interesting to see how much more professional the horse was than on his debut six weeks before, when he was a green last of six after being sent off at odds of 2-5. O’Brien evidently thinks a bit of him (“massive engine”) and Douglas Macarthur is well bred, as a brother to the fortuitous Oaks winner Was. He is closely related to the Derby winner New Approach, as they are both by Galileo and Douglas Macarthur’s dam is a half-sister to New Approach.
“His mind is still sleeping,” O’Brien said, which is a nice turn of phrase, but Douglas Macarthur is already ahead of most Derby contenders, having run twice and won before August. He is a best price of 16-1, ahead of his stablemate Churchill on 20-1.
I dare say that idea would have tickled the real Douglas Macarthur, a five-star general in the US army who served during both World Wars and had his share of clashes with politicians. Macarthur’s command was eventually removed by President Truman, who later explained the decision to an interviewer: “I fired him because he wouldn’t respect the authority of the President. I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that’s not against the laws for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.”
Moving swiftly on to more pressing matters, I note the support today for Noble Silk (2.55) that has carried the grey down to 5-1 from 8s for the Brown Jack at Ascot. It’s a couple of years since Lucy Wadham’s charge got his head in front but he’s back down to the same handicap mark he had then and is ready to strike, judging by the way he ran on into sixth here last time after being held up off a slow pace.
The extra quarter-mile should help and I trust that Josephine Gordon, the hot apprentice getting a second chance on him here, will take earlier action this time.
Irish Rookie is the understandable choice of favourite for the following Listed race, she having been plying her trade in Group Ones for the most part and doing all right. But I hate to take a short price about a horse that hasn’t won since her first two starts and is now on a losing run of eight.
Perhaps Namroodah (3.30) is a value alternative at 10-1. This daughter of Sea The Stars turned in a new career best last time when the step back from middle-distances seemed to help. She represents the in-form James Tate yard.
At York tonight, you can get 13-2 about Pandora (7.30), which seems a touch high in a Listed contest for a well-bred David O’Meara filly who bounced back to form with a course and distance win last month. She was good enough to run third in the Musidora last year when with Charlie Hills, so I guess she likes the track.
Tipping competition, day five
Our winners so far:
Monday
Definite Ridge 16-1
Dream Walker 15-2
Go On Go On Go On 5-2
Tuesday
King Of Spin 8-1
Under Approval 12-1
Cote D’Azur 13-8
Wednesday
Excellent Sounds 11-4
Singeur 11-2
Outer Space 5-1
Thursday
On Her Toes 5-2
Jimenez 11-2
Sunraider 10-1
And our leader is:
ID3814422 +24
… who embellished a fine week by finding both Sunraider AND On Her Toes. Poor old Cerises ought to have been able to get away with one blank day but dropped to fourth after yesterday’s three losers. Other good scores: pkhughesy92 +22, Ormrod76 +21.75, cerises +21.50, Harry Bowles +16.88, Fixxxer +16.25, William36 +8.63, BatmanKaisers +5.50, Bonzodrongo +5.
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 2.55 Ascot, 4.35 Ascot, 8.00 York.
This week’s prize is a pair of Richmond enclosure tickets for the last day of Glorious Goodwood next week, Saturday 30 July. The beautiful Sussex track will stage the Nassau Stakes and the Stewards’ Cup that day, one of the most enjoyable cards in our racing year. 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.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
