Alex Hammond: Druids to strike Gold at Sandown

Barney Roy or Eminent – which 2000 Guineas trial winner can give antepost favourite Churchill most to think about at Newmarket?

Well, I have to say Barney Roy as I put him up a few weeks ago as my horse to follow this Flat season, but I was impressed by Eminent in the Craven Stakes too. In Barney Roy, Richard Hannon has a flagship horse for the season and it’s no wonder this horse was talked up before he reappeared at Newbury. Prior to his run in last Saturday’s Greenham he only had one start to his name when making a winning debut at Haydock last backend. He was then snapped up by the boys in blue and it must have been a relief to the former champion trainer to get off the mark on his first start in the Godolphin colours. Whilst he has a reasonably speedy pedigree, he is already a winner over a mile and Hannon feels he may even stay further than that now he is relaxing better. It’s the Guineas for now though and he’s now 4/1 with Sky Bet for the race which he goes into having won one of the more reliable trials and a race that usually throws up a smart colt. 

John Gosden unleashed two smart-looking fillies in Daban and Dabyah for the same owners last week – who do you prefer with the 1000 Guineas in mind?

Dabyah didn’t do anything wrong in winning the Fred Darling at Newbury, but winning jockey Frankie Dettori suggested to her trainer in the immediate aftermath of the race that she run at Deauville in France rather than at Newmarket as the ease in ground they are likely to get the other side of the Channel will suit her better. Daban on the other hand was impressive in winning the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket’s Craven meeting last Wednesday and the 1000 Guineas is her target. She is now 8/1 second favourite for the first fillies’ classic with Sky Bet and it’s expected she won’t have any problems staying the extra furlong at Newmarket on May 7. So, of the pair it’s definitely Daban for me for the Guineas as Dabyah will only line up on the Rowley Mile if something prevents her stablemate’s participation. It’s worth remembering both fillies are in the same ownership, so I presume the aim will be to keep them apart as often as possible. Gosden’s team is really motoring at the moment and he looks one of the protagonists for this year’s leading trainer title. 

Which of the many star names are you most looking forward to seeing in action at Punchestown later in the week?

What a start we have enjoyed to the Punchestown Festival with a tough performance from Fox Norton to win the first-day feature, the Champion Chase. He’s now 9/1 for the King George and when he steps back up in trip will add real spice to that top-class staying chase division. At the time of writing there were still four days to go and I’m intrigued to see who comes out on top in Wednesday’s Punchestown Gold Cup. Regular readers of this blog (thanks for your loyalty by the way!) will not be surprised to hear I’m looking forward to seeing Vroum Vroum Mag in action. The interesting point to make about her participation in Friday’s Champion Hurdle is that she won’t be taking on her (in foal) stablemate Annie Power. She will be taking on recalcitrant grey Labaik though who all but refused to race at the meeting on Tuesday in novice company. I’d bet they will try not to get messed around at the start in order to encourage him to jump off and if he does get going he has enough talent for the 16/1 with Sky Bet to look like decent each-way value. Annie Power has been re-routed to Saturday’s Mares Champion Hurdle instead on what will be her swansong before she heads to the paddock’s to have Camelot’s foal. Not that she needs to step up on anything she has achieved, but it’s worth noting that mares often show improved form when they are in foal and it is generally a positive rather than a negative as you might expect. Vroum Vroum is 5/1 with Sky Bet for the Champion Hurdle on Friday. Annie will be odds-on favourite for the race on Saturday. Also on Friday I’m hoping Colin Tizzard can add another big race to his tally this season with Finian’s Oscar in the Champion Novice Hurdle. I’m looking forward to his clash with Death Duty who was being spoken of in glowing terms before his run in Cheltenham’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle where he ran below par before unseating his rider when beaten. His trainer Gordon Elliott will be keen to win as much prize money as possible this week, and/or deny Willie Mullins as much as possible, in order to win his first trainer’s championship in Ireland in which he holds the upper hand going into this week’s valuable meeting. 

Is there any way you can see Paul Nicholls emerging with the British trainers’ championship? If so, how does he do it?

Yes, speaking of trainers’ championships, Paul Nicholls said he had conceded this season’s title to current leader Nicky Henderson a couple of weeks ago. However, since then he has closed the gap to just over £170,000 thanks in part to Vicente’s win in last weekend’s Scottish National and he is throwing plenty at trying to retain the title which has been his ten times in the past. It looks an uphill struggle to be honest, but it is mathematically possible. He is unlikely to win the Celebration Chase (worth over £71,000 to the winner) as that ought to go to Henderson with Altior which will make the deficit harder to close. However, there is good prize money spread across the rest of the card of which a large percentage could be heading back to Ditcheat. Henderson is long odds-on to win it and I will be surprised if that isn’t the case. It makes for an exciting end to the jumps season though and it aint over 'til it’s over. 

Where does the value lie in the final day’s Sandown feature – the bet365 Gold Cup?

Nicholls and Henderson both have good claims of winning the final big race of the season, with Just A Par, Southfield Theatre and Present Man the Nicholls representatives. Henderson has Sugar Baron and Vyta Du Roc entered; both with claims in a red hot race. You can make a case for so many of the runners notably Sugar Baron who was very well backed for the Scottish National last weekend, but got no further than the first. He was fancied that day and no doubt the cash will come for him again this weekend and understandably so. There are some familiar faces in the line-up with Neil Mulholland bidding to spoil the party once again with three strong chances including last year’s winner The Young Master. Tom Scudamore has come in for the ride on Sky Bet’s 5/1 favourite Doing Fine for the trainer who has the aforementioned The Young Master in again along with The Druids Nephew who was fifth last year. Doing Fine only has 10-3 to carry which is below Noel Fehily’s minimum weight, so he switches to The Druids Nephew. The Paul Nicholls trained Just A Par was second last year and is now just 1lb higher in the weights. The Young Master runs off the same mark as last year, but hasn’t had the ideal preparation as he fell at Becher’s in the National last time out. Of those that ran last year the one I’m keen on is The Druids Nephew. He has only run twice since his fine effort 12 months ago and is a full 10lb lower in the weights. He’s 8/1 with Sky Bet and I’ll take that.