Horseracing Betting Briefing: The races to watch in Derby week

Events / Andrew Hughes / 02 June 2008 / Leave a Comment

Andrew Hughes roots around the UK's race courses for the jewels of the betting week

Future generations might wonder why racecourses at the beginning of the 21st century spent so much time promoting fancy dress competitions, parties and concerts and so little time talking about horses. Prize for most incongruous marketing this week goes to Bath's 'Aussie' themed meeting.

It features a barbecue (not all that exotic considering most of us have one in our back garden) Rolf Harris performing live and most oddly of all, a surf competition. The Ordnance Survey confirms that coastal erosion has not yet reached Lansdown Hill so we can only wonder at how this feat is to be achieved.

If any readers do attend Bath's antipodean celebration this week, I'd be interested to know what the surf was like. I presume that somewhere amidst the sizzle of meat, the profusion of cork hats and the sound of Rolf Harris warming up, there will be some racing, but I can't be sure.

Monday 2nd June

Over in County Kildare, Naas stage an interesting meeting built around two smashing sprint races. The Group Three Swordlestown Stud Sprint is a top class event for two-year-old fillies, which besides being a fascinating contest in its own right, can produce a live contender or two for Ascot later in the month. It is supported by the Naas Sprint Stakes, a high calibre Listed race that usually attracts a competitive field and plenty of betting action.

Wednesday 4th June

Leopardstown's pleasant evening meeting includes a couple of races worth investigating. The Ballyogan Stakes is another choice sprint, this time for fillies and mares in which British raiders have a great record and the Glencairn Stakes is an intriguing Listed event run over a mile.

Friday 6th June

The long wait is over and the mayhem of Epsom is with us once more. There is so much top-notch racing on Oaks day that the punter is spoilt for choice. The fillies Classic of course, takes centre stage and this year it is Musidora Stakes winner Lush Lashes [4.1] who is set for favouritism with Dermot Weld's Chinese White on [6.0] and Katirya available at [6.8]. As well as the main feature, there is the mouth-watering prospect of the Coronation Cup, a race usually packed with former Classic winners and Group One contenders. Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe fourth and fifth Getaway [2.62] and Soldier of Fortune [3.85] are currently vying for favouritism with Michael Stoute's Papal Bull third favourite on [5.0]. Then there is the Princess Elizabeth Stakes for fillies and mares over an extended mile, the seven furlong Listed Surrey Stakes for three-year-olds and a clutch of knotty handicaps to solve, headed by the Rose Bowl Handicap, a ten furlong contest that always attracts a healthy-sized field and offers a great challenge for punters.

Saturday 7th June

There's an open feel to the market for the Derby this year, with Casual Conquest [5.0] and Curtain Call [5.5] heading it but plenty of others in with good chances including Tajaaweed on [8.2]. But if you don't manage to find the winner of the big race, there is plenty more to get your teeth into. The splendid Diomed Stakes over an extended mile is an intriguing puzzle to solve. The Woodcote Stakes is a breezy Listed race for two year olds run at a healthy lick, but not quite so rapid as the 'Dash' Stakes, a frenetic cavalry charge run at full tilt down the fastest sprint course in the country and a suitably tricky betting proposition to test the mettle of punters.