Arctic Spirit in front
After a weekend of high-class fare at Epsom it is back to the grass-roots today with two runners form La Grange heading to Leicester. The Derby was a great race to watch with an excellent victory for Masar and Godolphin, and I am sure we will see the protagonists do battle again at the major meetings over the summer. It looks to have been a decent renewal this year, with the 2000 Guineas and the Dante form coming to the fore. There should be plenty to look forward to for the connections of the prominent finishers in the middle-distance Group Ones for the rest of the season, and beyond.
It has been a cloudy morning at HQ, but the rain continues to stay away. The feeling of summer is evident with the workload for all made easier by the pleasant conditions. Artic Spirit goes to work away from home when lining up in the 6f ‘Million Pound Bet With BetVictor.com Maiden Auction Stakes’ (2.10). Edwin and Margaret Lee’s 2yr old filly had a nice introduction to racing when finishing 6th at Newmarket on Guineas weekend. The ground at Leicester is forecast to be a little softer than she encountered at HQ, but I feel she has progressed well from her debut and is entitled to have an EW chance in a field of unexposed 2yr olds.
My second runner is Conflagration in the 7f ‘BetVictor's Million Pound Bet Handicap’ (5.40). Mr Hui’s 3yr old gelding drops back slightly in trip after a good run at Redcar in early May. He seems to have taken this run well and has been pleasing me at home. The handicapper raised him 3lb for this improved effort, and I am hoping he is correct and that Conflagration is progressing, he is drawn in stall 12, and this should give Jim Crowley options on either side to follow the pace as he sees fit. While it is obviously a competitive field of 17 3yr old handicappers, I hope Conflagration can get involved at the business end and give him a solid EW chance.
All the best,
Ed.