East India Dock camp eager to exploit Flat mark
James Owen's four-year-old was sent off favourite for top juvenile honours at the Cheltenham Festival when finishing third in a thrilling finish behind Poniros and Lulamba and now reverts to the level with connections seeking to take advantage of what they feel is an unexposed Flat rating.
Owen – who also saddles Charging Thunder – said: 'He was progressive on the Flat, albeit on galloping tracks, and this is the first time he will run on a tight track. I do think he is a better hurdler than he was on the Flat – he quickly came alive over hurdles – but he could be pretty well handicapped and it looks like he will stay the trip.
'There's probably not many who have gone from third in a Triumph Hurdle to the Chester Cup but we're hoping he's well handicapped. He's got a good level of fitness from hurdling and hopefully he will run really well.'
Davies was in the saddle aboard Zoffee when victorious 12 months ago, igniting jubilant scenes for trainer Hugo Palmer and his landlord Michael Owen at a meeting he holds dear.
Apprentice Joe Leavy takes over on the defending champion this year and Palmer is hopeful he can thrive early in the campaign once again.
'He's all set to defend his title and I'm very, very happy with him,' said Palmer.
'We took him to Southwell and he worked very well a few weeks ago. It's nice when they go that far for the first time since last year to have had them on a racecourse, I always think, and we know he goes well fresh.
'The last couple of years his best run of the season has been his first run, so fingers crossed it's the same case again.'
No horse heads into the race in better shape than George Scott's Caballo De Mar, who arrives at the Roodee on a five-race winning streak.
He easily accounted for a useful cast including Cesarewitch runner-up Manxman (second) and Michael Bell's reopposing Duke Of Oxford (third) at Southwell recently and is backed to continue his fine form.
'We are delighted to get in and it was touch and go, but we ended up getting in comfortably, which was a bit of a surprise,' explained Scott.
It's back to back wins in the feature for @CallumSheppy and @GScottracing!
Caballo De Mar takes them all the way and quickens up stylishly to score by a distance at @Southwell_Races! pic.twitter.com/TKpHcbdhPV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 27, 2025
'He obviously went up 8lb on Tuesday so is effectively 5lb well in, so he has to take his chance. His recent form is on the all-weather, but that is mainly due to how the races have been falling for him, rather than trying to keep him off grass.
'He has gone well tightish left-handed at Southwell, so hopefully the track won't be a problem. The music is going to stop at some point but he looks progressive and everyone can see that.
'It's not very often you get a horse like this into the Chester Cup off this rating, so we feel very lucky. The horse is training well and it's nice to take our chance with a progressive horse.'
Joseph O'Brien is double-handed with Curragh scorer Leinster and Dawn Rising, while Andrew Balding will also saddle two – Queen's Prize runner-up Who's Glen and Spirit Mixer.
Balding said: 'Who's Glen ran a very good race in the Queen's Prize and he's a course winner, although in very different conditions to those we are likely to see here. I can't see why he wouldn't be effective on fast ground, but it's a question mark the first time he tries it.'
Meanwhile, Tom Dascombe is confident Hot Fuss can make his mark providing conditions do not prove too quick for his Cheltenham Festival fourth.
He said: 'He's drawn three and that is perfect. If the ground is good we will run him, but if it's really quick we might not, but if he runs I think he will run really well. He wouldn't want too much firm in the description of the going though.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
ITV racing pundit correctly predicts 8,000-1 Derby tricast in big race
Kevin Blake made his selections from studying the runners' stride patterns and applying the data to suggest the outcome of the £1.5million race at Epsom An ITV Racing pundit pointed viewers to an 8,000-1 Derby tricast on Saturday by correctly predicting the big race 1-2-3. Kevin Blake has devised his own stride data to analyse horses' ability to pick out runners' positive and negative characteristics ahead of the Derby. As a result he was prepared to dismiss the challenges of the likes of favourite Delacroix and stablemate The Lion In Winter and the 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court, who was a late non-runner, based on his data. He summarised his selections for ITV, saying: 'I think this is going to be a high pressure Derby that really examines stamina so number one is what is Aidan O'Brien's apparent third string debatedly Lambourn because he is the one that is guaranteed to stay. I think he is going to stay further than and mile and a half in due course. He'll be forward, he'll make use of that stamina. 'Number two is Tennessee Stud. He was third to Delacroix at Leopardstown, went there very much needing the run. He was a Group 1 winner over a mile and a quarter at two. He will stay, he'll love the ground. He's come forward really well from run at Leopardstown so he's my second choice. 'And Lazy Griff at a massive price, again from the Chester form. He stays really well and that is key.' READ MORE: Derby 2025: Leading hope Ruling Court forced out of £1.5m race by wet weather Blake's assessment proved right up to the mark as Lambourn led from start to finish to come home ahead of Lazy Griff and Tennessee Stud. The tricast paid £8,294.72 and the trifecta £3,431.20, at great cost to the bookies. Coral spokesperson Dave Stephens said: "It may have been the threat of considerable rainfall that sparked the support for the proven stayer Lambourn, but even without a notable downpour, the Cheshire Vase winner controlled the race from start to finish, and an SP of 13-2 confirmed that he was not without support on the biggest betting day of the Flat season," said Coral's David Stevens. "Whilst the winner alone was not the worst result in the Derby book though, further pain was inflicted by Kevin Blake, who incredibly put up the tricast on ITV's The Opening Show, an outcome that paid a whopping £8,294.72 for £1, and plenty of viewers followed Kevin's advice, to our considerable cost.'
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Genius ITV Racing pundit hits bookies for over £1MILLION with outrageous 8,249-1 Epsom Derby bet
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GENIUS ITV Racing pundit Kevin Blake helped punters hit the bookies for over £1MILLION - with his outrageous 8,249-1 tip. Race planner Blake - who a few years ago put up an 800-1 treble at Cheltenham Festival - somehow picked the first three home in the Derby. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 ITV Racing pundit Kevin Blake helped punters hit the bookies for over £1million with his unbelievable Epsom Derby bet Credit: PA With a load of the big guns failing, it was tough enough finding 13-2 winner Lambourn. But Blake tipped up the Aidan O'Brien-trained winner plus runner-up Tennessee Stud at 33-1 and third-place Lazy Griff at a monster 50-1 when speaking on ITV's The Opening Show. One odds compiler at Coral called the trixie - a bet where you pick the first three finishers in that exact order - the greatest punt he had seen in 25 years. It turned what was a winning race for the bookies into a huge losing one. And the firm's David Stevens said: "It may have been the threat of considerable rainfall that sparked the support for the proven stayer Lambourn, but even without a notable downpour, the Cheshire Vase winner controlled the race from start to finish, and an SP of 13-2 confirmed that he was not without support on the biggest betting day of the Flat season. "Whilst the winner alone was not the worst result in the Derby book though, further pain was inflicted by Kevin Blake, who incredibly put up the tricast on ITV's The Opening Show, an outcome that paid a whopping £8,294.72 for £1. "Plenty of viewers followed Kevin's advice, to our considerable cost." And Paddy Power's Paul Binfield said: "The actual result was fine as our traders thought that the winner was likely to hit the frame and, in addition, he was towards the bottom half of our field book. "However, an extra place on the race as well as Kevin Blake brilliantly tipping the tricast meant that it was a small losing contest for us." Commenting on the punt on the coverage, co-presenter Oli Bell said: "I've heard from the trading floor at Coral that they have lost over a million pounds on the tricast on your selections." While Blake said: "I was due one!" More to follow. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
German Derby winner Palladium in action at Goodwood
The four-year-old was purchased for €1,400,000 by Lady Bamford following his Classic-winning exploits on the continent and joined Nicky Henderson, where he made one winning appearance over timber at Huntingdon before an injury ruled him out of a Cheltenham Festival bid. However, the Seven Barrows handler always had designs on returning to the level with Palladium and having swapped Lambourn for Newmarket to join John and Thady Gosden, the Clarehaven team will get their first look at the talented son of Gleneagles on the racecourse in the Listed BetGoodwin Tapster Stakes. Thady Gosden said: 'He won the German Derby and then he had a stint over the sticks, but it's great to have him back on the Flat as he was a Classic-winning three-year-old in Germany. 'Goodwood over a mile and half is a great place to start him off for the season. We'll see how he runs on Sunday and then we'll be able to make a plan for the season from there.' Palladium will be ridden by James Doyle, who added: 'I think they're due a bit of rain down at Goodwood so if that is on the easy side you would think would suit and it's a nice spare ride to pick up. 'It's always nice to ride for John and Thady and of course Lady Bamford and it's very kind of them to leg me up.' Palladium will face a total of five rivals including former Henderson stablemate Galashiels and new Gosden stablemate Military Academy. Karl Burke's Bolster, William Haggas' soft ground-loving Hamish and David Simcock's Raja Raja are also among the opposition. There is also Listed action on the card in the Weatherbys / British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes where a field of 12 head to post.
