There’s high fashion and high stakes at the Derby June 3, 2011 The Investec Derby Festival 2011 is set over two days, 3 and 4 June, and has a proud history that goes back to 1780. Held on Epsom Downs for over 200 years, the Derby remains the greatest flat race in the world. It has a worldwide following, celebrating determination, ambition, performance and joy. Watched the [...]
Tanfeeth: a decent price at 10/1 to give Ed Dunlop victory in first race June 3, 2011 THE Investec Horses Help the Heroes Handicap (1.40pm) is often a stepping-stone to stardom, with Conduit and Dandino just two examples of progressive horses going through the ranks en route to Group celebrations. Dandino, who was allowed to start at 17/2 last year, has never stopped improving, so much so that he climbed into Group [...]
Why the legendary Lester Piggott is pinning his hopes on Carlton House June 3, 2011 EPSOM is a unique racecourse where jockeys can encounter more traffic problems than you will find during the rush hour on the M25, but one man who never had any trouble finding his way around the historic Surrey Downs was Lester Piggott, hero of a record nine Derby victories between 1954 and 1983. Lester, though [...]
Premio Loco a diamond bet in Investec Diomed June 3, 2011 THERE have been a few upsets over the years in the Group 3 Investec Diomed Stakes with just one winning favourite in the past decade. It’s a difficult race for punters to weigh up as they have to decide whether to side with improving handicappers, or those dropping back in class from Group 1 or [...]
Easterby duo are the best bets in Investec ‘Dash’ June 3, 2011 THE Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’ (3.15pm) is widely regarded as the quickest five furlong sprint anywhere in the world. You need a horse that can break quickly, hold its position on the downhill run and then power clear entering the final half furlong. However, there aren’t many other contests where the draw can have more [...]
Horse-By-Horse Guide to the Investec Derby June 3, 2011 Carlton House Red-hot favourite who was subject to a last minute injury scare following an impressive win in the Dante. He showed terrific bravery that day by muscling his way through a tiny gap and can give Sir Michael Stoute his sixth Derby win and, more importantly, the Queen her first! The one to beat. [...]
Carlton all set to bring the House down June 3, 2011 CARLTON House, the horse gifted to the Queen as a yearling by Sheikh Mohammed, can brush aside his recent injury scare and finally land the world’s most famous race for his most passionate of owners. As far as the classics are concerned, Her Majesty has done far better with fillies than with colts. Her first [...]
Beach looks Treasure of a bet in William Hill’s Ballydoyle Derby June 3, 2011 Hats off to the odds compilers at William Hill for coming up with some fantastic novelty markets on this afternoon’s Investec Derby. Normally, the racing trading teams at the majority of bookmakers use occasions like these to offer odds on the ridiculous, but Hills’ Kate Miller has come up with a sensible list with some [...]
Yorgunnabelucky if you follow in-form Mark Johnston runner June 3, 2011 EEPSOM handicaps are always fiendishly difficult and the Investec Surefooted Handicap is no different. Regular readers of The Punter will know that I tipped Zuider Zee last weekend at Haydock but he was a non-runner due to the fast ground. He could be a doubtful starter again today, unless clerk of the course Andrew Cooper [...]
Parisian Pyramid set to strike for red hot Ryan June 3, 2011 THE finale to this year’s Derby Festival is the Investec Specialist Bank Handicap and it’s another complicated puzzle to unravel. Last year the old boy Flipando came with a rattle under Philip Makin to lead near the finish and Graham Gibbons will be trying to repeat the trick on the evergreen 10-year-old. Horses tend to [...]