Workforce and Midas Touch were significant (upward) movers for the Epsom Derby yesterday. St Nicholas Abbey remains�"bottle" (2/1) for the so-called�"Worlds greatest horserace" next month, on the back of a sixth to Mafki in the�2000 Guineas.
We're desperate for summat to step forth and become highly-profiled. Perhaps, Rasaad will in the listed 40,000-pound Cocked Hat Stakes, over eleven furlongs at Goodwood today.
Formerly the "Predominate,"�this nine-runner race is within capabilities of Rashaad,�a twice-raced, Smart Strike colt which shaped well when third to Gardening Leave in the Newmarket Stakes over ten furlongs, 18 days ago. Barry Hills, 73, has never won the Epsom classic. He has saddled the runner-up four times. There's a fine line between dreams and reality but Hills is the ultimate pragmatist and would not be "throwing his hat into the Derby ring" without good reason. Rashaad has been working superbly and this isn't a quality trial, by any stretch of the imagination.
Another "old-timer"�with plenty of mileage on the clock is Paul Cole. He trains Nimue, one of eleven fillies in the Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs. Down the years, "Old King" has been extremely successful with his training fillies and I'll bet Nimue, clear top-rated on my TH maintains the consistent record.
Selections
R4 (9) PEKAN THREE (e.w.)
R11 (5) RASHAAD (e.w.)
R14 (6) NIMUE (nap)
R26 (1) BARREL OF FUN