Two tips for Epsom, a perennial underachiever and a second bet in the Derby
Flat season 2022: bets 7 & 8
Ed Walker is a brilliant young trainer who, as recently as this weekend, landed the second Group 1 of his career when his mare Dreamloper triumphed in France.
But even the gifted Lambourn handler has struggled to get the best out of Caradoc, a seven-year-old gelding who has been in Walker’s care since he made his debut as a two-year-old.
In his weekly column for the Racing Post Weekender in April, Walker could not hide his exasperation, writing of Caradoc: “He is the biggest underachiever I have ever trained. He’s a horse I have always loved and he’s promised so much and rarely delivered. He’s quirky and he’s had many injuries but he’s moving beautifully now.
“I was very pleased with his return to action at Newbury, where he settled well. He’s still got his enthusiasm and there’s a big race in his somewhere.”
Since then, Caradoc has, typically, underachieved twice more, most recently after finding endless trouble in running before finishing third of six runners to Dark Shift at Nottingham.
That means Walker is running his horse quickly again because he wants him to get a winner’s penalty that would mean he is certain to make the “cut” for the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot later this month.
So Caradoc is due to run in the Cazoo Handicap on Oaks day (Friday 3.45pm) and this time he has everything in his favour: a trip of 10 furlongs, drying ground and the in-form Tom Marquand booked for the ride.
CARADOC is not one to put the mortgage on, given his underachiever status, but I suggest backing him each way at 11-1 with Sky Bet, paying five places. Like Walker, I think he can land a big handicap at some point off his rating of 98 even though he has not won since the 2019 season.
I initially looked at the Cazoo Derby, to be run on Saturday at 4.30pm, in my newsletter last week.
I am not deserting Westover, but I am warming more and more to the chances of CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD, so I am going into the race double handed.
The style and time of his win in the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes were impressive and he is beautifully bred too, with his sire being Derby winner Galileo. Take the 9-1 each way, now offered by several bookies, rather than wait for more places to be offered after the 48-hour declarations tomorrow, as I think he may shorten before the off.
Good luck and, as ever, if you are enjoying the newsletter, please do forward it on.
One for the horse tracker
Reshoun caught the eye when a running on fifth, under tender handling, in the Betfred Double Delight Handicap at Haydock on Saturday. That race was over a mile and a half and Reshoun would benefit from running over a trip a mile further than that. Reshoun, who is now eight, is back down to a mark of 97 – exactly the same rating off which he won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot last season over the marathon trip of 2 miles 4 furlongs. I’d expect to see him in the race once again and to be competitive, with Richard Kingscote likely to be in the saddle, as the jockey has a good record in big races riding for trainer Ian Williams.
Bets record for the 2022 Flat season
Pending:
1 point each way Caradoc at 11-1 the Cazoo Handicap, 1/5 odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Westover at 20-1 in the Cazoo Derby,, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Changingoftheguard at 9-1 in the Cazoo Derby, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 in the Wokingham Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places.
Settled:
1 point each way Arcadian Sunrise Cup at 16-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. 4th. + 3 points.
1 point each way Morph Speed at 25-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Auditor at 16-1 in the TRU7 Handicap, 1/4 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Moss Gill at 12-1 in the Temple Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2022 Flat season running total – 3 points.
2021-2 jumps season + 77.95 points.