Derby Betting / Editor / 05 May 2009 / 1 Comments

The Lord has watched every one of the Derby heats and here are his thoughts on the likely winners...

It would probably be easier to tell you who CAN win the Derby, than the 94 dogs (Bonville Brett withdrawn) who can't heading into Friday and Saturday's second round at Wimbledon.

Colleague Darrell Williams will guide you through heat by heat come the weekend, but The Lord has been on the premises and has whittled down a short-list of leading players.

Bear in mind, however, that all could change come the second round - it is, after all, a six-round marathon not a sprint.

Put simply, Wise Thought surely can't win if he continues to course the hare and run so wide; Boherna Best can't win unless he runs a decent race against Farloe Reason in the second round to blow the cobwebs away after a slow start to his 2009 campaign; Ninja Jamie certainly can't win if he goes AWOL off the second bend; Tyrur Hestor can win if he negotiates the second bend so slowly; Cabra Boss lacks the dash to the second bend; Ballymac Under can't win if he traps so poorly, while Irish raiders Fatboyz Nodrog and Ja Mann didn't convince.
So to those who can win.

Fear Zafonic: the fastest in the competition with only the draw capable of beating him.

Deanridge Fury: cracking early pace in his heat and blew away a useful dog in Jogadusc Ace from halfway. Has got it all.

Shelbourne Aston: capable of raising the roof. Cracking pace from halfway, trackcraft and buckets of courage as he showed when barging his way past beaten dogs in his heat.

Ballymac Ruso: coming nicely to the fore. Took a few seconds to hit top gear but then pulled further and further clear. Quite awesome really.

Bandicoot Tipoki: lack of experience almost put him in the 'can't win' category but has the pace to get himself out of a hole.

Windy Millar: superb early pace and is proven in the highest class. Admittedly, he had the draw of draws in his heat but he ran great.

Jesters Nap: another good run in defeat and few go to the bend better.

The jury is out on Farloe Reason. Brilliant in the heats, it's about stringing out performance after performance and he is prone to a missed break, always costly in competition. He is not so good in behind.

There's still plenty to play for, and it's eyes down for the second round this weekend. Can anything stop Fear Zafonic?