O’Brien still tight-lipped on Investec Derby team identity
AIDAN O’Brien still remains reluctant to confirm the exact make-up of his Investec Derby team, although he confirmed yesterday at Epsom’s ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ that his teenage son Joseph would be on hot favourite Camelot a week tomorrow.
The master of Ballydoyle gave nothing more away via telephone link other than the fact that the likes of Imperial Monarch, Astrology, Father Of Science and Tower Rock all remained firmly “in the mix”. A decision on his final team won’t be made until nearer the time as they complete their frantic preparations for the Epsom showpiece.
Joseph celebrated his 19th birthday on Wednesday, but as things are so busy, he apparently didn’t even get a present from his father. That said, confirmation that he will be the man on board 2000 Guineas winner Camelot should appease the youngster for now.
Even though Breakfast with the Stars allows connections of leading Investec Derby Festival hopefuls to canter around Epsom’s unique course, a surprisingly small number took up the option yesterday. A year ago I was reporting back to you about eventual Investec Derby winner Pour Moi’s blistering display in the early morning sunshine, but I doubt we saw this year’s winner yesterday morning.
Rugged Cross (50/1 with Coral) and Minimise Risk (80/1) both came through their routine exercise gallops, but connections were less than upbeat about their chances next week. Henry Candy, trainer of the former, seemed adamant that the horse was unlikely to stay the trip and stressed that the decision to run was that of the owner.
Andrew Balding joined his sister Clare on the stage to talk about the chances of second favourite Bonfire and the pair recalled a funny family breakfast conversation from last week. Clare had been telling Andrew’s young son Johnno how hard it was to train a Derby winner and what an incredible achievement it would be if his dad could pull it off with Bonfire.
She told the four-year-old that ‘Grumpy’ (his grandfather Ian) had done it with Mill Reef and hopefully Andrew could follow in his footsteps. Apparently, when Andrew sat opposite his son at the breakfast table the next day, Johnno said to his dad, “if you really want Bonfire to win the Derby then why don’t you let Grumpy train it”.
As for other clues, both John Gosden and William Buick seemed keen on the chances of The Fugue in the Investec Oaks. “She was asked a big question at York – and she answered it,” said the trainer. Buick added: “She has all the right attributes and has done everything right and nothing wrong so far.”
However, they weren’t as confident about Thought Worthy in the Derby, as although he won well at Newmarket, they felt he didn’t really handle the undulations which would be an obvious worry around Epsom.
Jim Bolger was quite bullish about the prospects of Parish Hall and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on in tomorrow’s Irish 2000 Guineas. He has already been quoted as saying that last year’s Dewhurst winner is potentially among the best he’s ever trained, but he admits that “Aidan’s horse is the one we all have to beat.”
It’s all bubbling along nicely and in just over a week’s time we’ll know if Camelot still has the chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky.
For those of you who haven’t bought tickets yet, the Boisdale Enclosure still has a few spaces left on Ladies Day a week today. The Boisdale will be serving the finest Scottish beef, caviar, cigars, whisky and includes an all-day oyster and champagne bar. Next to the Queen’s Stand, on the Prince’s Lawn, it is a great position to soak up the atmosphere. To book, or for more information, call 01372 460460.
ENGLAND
WEST INDIES
TODAY – 11.00AM SKY SPORTS
ENGLAND go into the pivotal Test of the three-match series against West Indies with a 1-0 lead thanks to the five-wicket win at Lord’s but the comfortable result doesn’t quite tell the whole story.
There was a moment, when Kevin Pietersen nicked one to leave England 57/4 on the final day, that gave the tourists a glimmer of hope of pulling off a shock. However, the situation was retrieved after a 132-run stand from Alastair Cook and Ian Bell helped see the hosts safely home for their expected victory.
That was the Three Lions’ 16th win against these opponents in 24 Tests and the positive result was capped off nicely by Andrew Strauss’s return to form – in the first innings at least, when the skipper hit 122 runs.
Although the West Indies fought hard and played better than their current run of just two wins in 31 Tests suggests, England are fully expected to carry on from where they left off, at no better than 1/25 to tie up the series, and 8/11 with Coral to win it 3-0.
They are 1/3 to take an unassailable command in Nottingham and there’s little reason to doubt that it will be fun in the sun with high temperatures and cloudless skies to look forward to.
A measure of England’s anticipated advantage is that Sporting Index have set their 1st innings supremacy at 130-150 runs. While they have won their last three contests handsomely at Trent Bridge, against India, Pakistan and New Zealand, that still could be a risky buy, so, although it is a high mark, it might be better to buy their win index at 21.
Looking at the player markets, the competition to be England’s top batsman will be fierce. As suggested by the similarity of their odds in the market, little separates the top order. However, that Strauss was out for one from just seven balls in the second innings at Lord’s means he’s probably better left alone as 11/4 favourite to be his team’s highest scorer.
Instead, I’d prefer to buy Ian Bell’s runs with Sporting Index at 74 after he scored 61 and 63 not out at Lord’s. The Warwickshire man has an average of 41.12 against the West Indies and at Trent Bridge he scored 159 in the first innings against India last summer.
The fight to be top England bowler in the second Test looks a choice between two men. Stuart Broad took seven first innings wickets and 11 in total at Lord’s. He is a best price of 11/4 with Coral in the market on his home ground. James Anderson only struck three times then but the conditions should allow him to swing it plenty and he is a worthy favourite, at 9/4, again with Coral.