Betfair Official Blog

US Racing Odds: You could make a Z Fortune at Oaklawn Park

Click here to view market

Nick Shiambourous gives us his tips for the upcoming racing, while although the Cheltenham Festival was the last place he expected to be discussing the recent problems at Santa Anita, with Michael Dickinson around our man couldn't resist...

The Cheltenham Festival was the last place on earth I expected to be discussing the recent problems at Santa Anita but I had a very eager and willing person in Michael Dickinson to debate this topic at great length. Michael was in town for his annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham but these days Tapeta Footings is first and foremost on his mind.

Dickinson developed the synthetic racing surface and it has been installed at Golden Gate Fields and at the new Presque Isle Downs racetrack which had its first meeting last September.

My very first question to Michael was to ask if he had been in contact with Santa Anita about the possibility of installing the surface to replace the Cushion Track which has been beset with huge drainage problems at the end of the Spring meeting. He told me that he had been in talks with Santa Anita and he confirmed that Pro-Ride were also pitching for this lucrative contract. I got the impression from Dickinson that the traditional dirt surface was very much in the running to make a comeback to Santa Anita.

As previously reported there appears to be a resistance to any more artificial track installations in America due to problems with the Polytrack surface at Del Mar and the more serious problems at Santa Anita. Based on what I have seen so far, Tapeta does seem a viable alternative to Cushion Track and the reports from both racetracks that have Tapeta installed are very favourable.

I could not help myself by lamenting about how much I missed the "front end speed" that California racing used to be so famous for but Michael Dickinson put up a compelling argument that the safety and well being of a thoroughbred is paramount and ultimately the forgiving artificial racing surfaces reduce injuries and fatalities in the long term.

Last week saw my Kentucky Derby selection Pyro in action in the Louisiana Derby and he did not disappoint at all putting in a dazzling display to dispose of a solid field. Pyro has tactical speed and can relax which is all important for the Kentucky Derby. His next and final assignment is The Blue Grass Stakes at Keenland before his Derby challenge and, at the moment, I would not swap anyone for Pyro in the Derby.

Up in New York Visionare got up close home to deny a brave Texas Wildcatter in The Gotham at Aqueduct and the winner put up an improved effort and should be kept on the right side.

Down in sunny Florida Commentator absolutely thrashed his opposition in the Richter Scale, winning by over thirteen lengths in this Grade 2 affair. As long as he stays healthy he will be very difficult to beat this year.

This week my local track Tampa Bay Downs hosts The Tampa Bay Derby featuring the brilliant War Pass and he should win this easily to keep his position near the top of the Kentucky Derby Ante Post market. If he is around [1.8] my money will be down.

Over at beautiful Oaklawn Park I really like the look of Z Fortune in The Rebel Grade 3 which is usually a good Derby trial run on the main track. The selection should go off at around [3.5] and after his decent second to Pyro last time out he is sure to go close.

Finally I would like to close out this weeks column with my thanks to Michael Dickinson who invested a lot of time with me to discuss his prized Tapeta racing surface with me and I hope he enjoyed the racing at Cheltenham with everyone on course. Michael did not travel over with his wife because understandably she has had enough of autograph hunters ,well wishers and picture takers constantly hounding her and her husband while they were just trying to enjoy the racing like everybody else. Nobody will ever forget what happened at Cheltenham or his achievements in England but he has a new life and a new career now and I do not think it is to much to ask to respect his privacy and enjoyment on his yearly trip to the Festival so if you do run in to him at Cheltenham just remember he is a fan just like you.