11am Road To Riches and Don Cossack set to clash at Punchestown
Tony Paley: Next week’s Punchestown meeting promises to be packed full of interest and on Wednesday it was confirmed that both Road To Riches and Don Cossack could represent Gigginstown House Stud in the Bibby Financial Services Gold Cup.
Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for Gigginstown, said there is “every chance” the duo will take each other on in the feature race at the meeting.
While Road To Riches has had the race as his aim since running third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Don Cossack has since been to Aintree after his only defeat this season in the Ryanair at Cheltenham. However, Don Cossack was a very impressive winner of the Melling Chase at Aintree and has apparently taken those exertions well.
“All being well, the plan is the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup for Road To Riches. He had a hard race at Cheltenham but he’s fine again now and is ready to go,” said O’Leary.
“There’s every chance that Don Cossack could go for the Gold Cup as well. He’s come out of Aintree very well. It’s the case with both him and Road To Riches that if they tell us they want to run then they will.”
Djakadam remains the 5-2 favourite with Road To Riches at 3-1 and Don Cossack on offer at around 6-1.
Wednesday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
If Derby trials were assessed on a performance-related basis, the Investec Derby Trial at Epsom would have lost its status as a pointer towards the Classic many years ago. Blue Peter, in 1939, was the last winner of this event to follow up in the Derby itself a few weeks later, and the list of winners over the last 30 years is mostly made up of names that faded from view almost as soon as the bookmakers had finished paying out.
The introduction of a win-and-your-in entry for the Derby itself three years ago has not done much to buck the trend as yet. Two winners have gone on to run in the Classic – the third was ineligible as he had already been gelded – and both started at 50-1, finishing 13th of 16 and ninth of 12.
Hope springs eternal, however, and Christophermarlowe (3.20), the certain favourite for today’s five-runner renewal, certainly has a more interesting profile on paper than most runners in this race, having won his two starts to date including a contest over this unique track. He recorded his Epsom success in a very impressive time too, showing signs of inexperience before launching a strong finishing run to win with something to spare. He holds entries in the Dante Stakes and Derby already and though the history of this race suggests otherwise, he could at least put down some kind of marker before the recognised trials get underway.
Elsewhere on the Epsom card, Smoothtalkinrascal (2.10) has excellent course form to his name and can get off the mark for his new stable in the opener, while What About Carlo (3.55), who took a strong race over course and distance last season, can win the City & Suburban Handicap off a 4lb higher mark.
Lear’s Rock (next best 5.05) can follow up a recent win at Windsor, while Sparkling Hand (2.55) and Gorsky Island (4.05) make most appeal on the first day of Perth’s Festival meeting.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Out Do 14-1
Divine 7-1
Carthage 11-1
Tuesday
Future Security 3-1
Bold Runner 2-1
Pick A Little 7-2
And our leader is …
Stephen Peter Phillips +17, despite a winnerless Tuesday. Titusisashambles (+13.50) is second, having added Pick A Little to Out Do.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 2.45 Epsom, 3.55 Epsom, 4.20 Catterick.
This week, we’re offering you a second chance to win a copy of Racing & Football Outlook’s Flat Racing Guide 2015, including tips for the season ahead, profiles of horses to follow, detailed results from last year and trainer interviews among many features. If you don’t win, you can buy it 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 -6.
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.
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